:!S^:/i:•.S^.:^-:-.:-.AL:l^_ 


XiJL.o^ 


Srom  t^e  fei6rart  of  ^ 
(profeBBor  ^amuef  (gliffer 
in  (glemor)?  of 
3ubge  ^dntuef  (ttXiffet  QBrecfeinribge 

^tesenfeb  6|? 

^dtnuef  (gtiffer  QBrecfeinribge  feong 

to  f 5e  feifirati?  of 

rferincefon  C^eofogtcaf  ^eminarj 


THE  ,    t 

DIVINITY        / 

O  F     O  U  R. 

Lord  Jefus  Chrift 

ASSERTED  AND  PROVED, 


AND    THE 


CONNEXION  OF  THIS  DOCTRINE 

ir  iTH 

PRACTICAL    RELIGION, 
POINTED     OUT, 

IN     FIFE     SERMONS. 

By  SINCLARE    KELBURN,    A.B. 
Of  Belfaft,  Ireland. 

In  the  beginning  ivas  the  Word,  and  the  Word  w<j  ivith  God  and- 
the  Word  ivas  God,  The  same  ivas  in  the  beginning  ivith  GoD.  All 
things  nvere  made  by  Him ^  and  "without  Hl^i  ivas  not  any  thing  made^ 
that  ivas  made,  John  ift.  C«a?. 


And  ivitbout  Contr<iverJyy  great  is  the  myjiery  of  Godlinefs  J   GoD    wa; 
MANIFEST    IN    THE    FLESH.  TilTl.  ui.    10. 


P  HI  LADELPHI A: 

Priatcd  by  and  for  W.  W.  Woodward,  No.  36,  Chcfaut-ftrcct, 

foutli  fidcp  green  fign  Franklin's  Head. 

^795' 


.;irili         aJiS       :  *'10ui 


1 ;  1  ■. 


-V.'.yy  \ivvi.   j;/.lli  v\  d.i.v.v   vviu?    z.-^^rAiV; 


i^SgjjSErnarrs'.''-: 


.  .. ..  u  A  _    1  il  'I 


Philadelphia^  ^pril  %%  xy^S, 

X  HE  difcourfes  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  SinclAr^ 
Kelburn,  upon  the  Divinity  of  our  Lord  and  Sa'viour  Jefiis 
ChriOi  contain  a  clear  flatement  and  judicious  defence  of 
that  efTential  doctrine  of  Chriftianity.  They  are  written 
in  a  very  good  ftyle  and  engaging  manner,  and  thsy  are 
contained  within  fo  fmall  a  compafs  as  to  be  attainable  by 
the  poor.  It  is  with  pleafure  therefore,  that  I  take  this 
opportunity  to  recommend  them  to  the  attention  and  peru- 
fal  of  all  my  fellow  Chriftians  ;  they  may  lerve  as  an  ufeful 
remedy  againft  the  poifon  of  corrupt  principles-  contained 
5n  fome  pamphlets  lately  publiflied  in  this  city,  which 
though  extremely  fuperficial,  are,  however,  dangerous  to 
thofe  who  have  not  read  much  upon  the  fubjefl.  Perfons 
•who  have  not  leifure  to  read,  or  ability  to  purchafe  Mr. 
Gowan's  maflerly,  witty,  and  vidtorious  refutation  of  Dr. 
Prieflley;  or  Fuller's  fifteen  letters,  filled  with  unanfwer- 
able  arguments  againfl  the  Socinian  herefy,  may  lind  in 
thefe  difcourfes  what  will  be  fufficient  to  fatisfy  every 
candid  and  enquiring  mind,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  eter- 
nal Son  of  God  J  from  whence  we  jullly  infer,  that  his 
atonement  is  an  infinite  fatisfaciion  to  divine  juflice  in  the 
forgivenefs  of  fin,  and  that  moral  evil  therefore^  is  infi- 
nite in  its  malignity  and  demerit. 

JOHN  B.  SMITH,  A.M. 

Minlfler  of  the  3d  Preib)yterian  Church, 
Philadelphia. 


N.  B.  It  is  hoped  that  the  oppofers  of  the  Divinity  of 
our  Saviour  will  be  candid  enough  to  regard  the  argu- 
ments contained  ,in  the  books  above  mentioned,  as  thofe 
on  which  judicious  Chriilians  rely  for  a  defence  of  their 
principles,  rather  than  on  the  weak  and  obfcure,  though 
well-intended  anfwer  to  Dr.  Prieflley's  appeal,  which  has 
been  lately  publiflied  here.         J.  B.  S. 


:rifr)o8  'r 


■■71)1  Y^sfii 
i  ;"on  3v 


!:>;><;:<><>^r>s:>cvo<><;<><>«>'>^"'<>c>s>!r?<>5..;-«i-'->i/--.-;>^:3«-.>.r..j«; 


SERMON   FIRST. 


John,  20th  Chap.  28th  Verfe. 

And  Thomas  anfiuered  and  f aid  unto  him,  my  Lord  and 
my  God. 

'T^HE  incredulity  of  this  Difciple  refpe^ling  the 
-^  Refurred:ion  cf  the  Lord  Jefus,  may  juftly  be 
confidered  as  a  circuml'tance  which  rends  to  corro- 
borate the  evidence  in  favor  of  that  rnoft  important 
and  glorious  event.  The  Apoftle's  incredulity  was 
overcome  by  the  moft  inconteftible  evidence,  for  he 
was  made  an  eye  witnefs,  and  more  than  an  eye  wit- 
nefs,  that  the  Lord  was  rifen  indeed  ;  and  having  all 
his  doubts  removed,  he  acknowledged  his  rifen  Sa- 
viour, and  made  a  confeflion  of  his  faith  in  him  as  his 
Lord,  and  his  God. 

My  defign  in  the  following  difcourfes,  is  to  afiert 

and  vindicate  the  important  dodrine  of  Chrift^s  divi- 

B  nity . 


nity  ;  and  this  I  will  endeavour  to  do  in  a  plain  and 
familiar  manner,  and  it  is  my  prayer  to  the  God  of 
truth,  that  his  holy  fpirit  would  guide  and  lead  us 
into  all  truth,  and  that  the  eyes  of  our  underftandings 
being  opened,  our  prejudices  removed,  and  our  wills 
renewed,  we  may  be  enabled  to  perceive  the  glory 
of  Jefus  Chrifl,  and  chearfully  to  embrace  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  him. 

It  will  be  ealily  perc-eived,  that  as  the  doctrine 
above  mentioned  is  entirely  a  doctrine  of  revelation, 
a  dodlrine  not  to  be  difcovered  by  the  light  of  Nature, 
fo  all  the  arguments  in  its  favour  are  to  be  Scriptur- 
al, and  derived  from  that  revelation  in  which  this 
dodrine  is  fuppofed  to  bealTerted  ;  in  Ihort,  the  grand 
queflion  is  this,  is  the  dodtrine  of  Chrift's  divinity 
revealed  in  the  word  of  God  ;  is  it  a  Scripture  doc- 
trine ?  And  therefore  it  muft  be  obvious,  that  the 
following  difcourfes  are  addrelTed  to  thofe  only  who 
believe  or  profefs  to  believe  the  holy  Scriptures. 

We  fuppofe  it  will  be  granted  that  all  the  attri- 
butes of  God  are,  in  the  fenfe  they  are  afcribed  to 
him,  incommunicable  ;  that  they  are  eflential  to  the 
Divine  nature,  infeparable  from  it,  and  can  neither 
belong  or  be  afcribed  to  any  other  nature  •  and  there- 
fore it  would  be  blafphemy  to  afcribe  the  Divine  at- 
tributes and  perfections  to  a  finite  being,  to  one  who 
is  not  really  and  truly  God.  If  then  it  can  be  de- 
monftratcd  that  the  divine,  infinite,  and  adorable 
perfections  are  in  Scripture  afcribed  to  the  fen  of  Chrift 

Jefus, 


^^     3     °C 

Jefus,  this  ccnclufion  muft  necefiarily  follow,  that 
if  the  Scriptures  are  the  word  of  that  God  who  can- 
not lie,  Jefus  Chrift  the  fon  of  God,  is  our  Lord  and 
our  God,  really  and  truly  God. 

It  is  propofed  in  the  firft  place,  to  iliew  that  the 
Divine  attributes  are  in  Scripture  afcribed  to  the  fon 
Chrift  Jefus. 

Secondly,  we  /hall  fnew  that  the  glorious  and  in- 
communicable name  'of  God,  Jehovah,  is  afcrib- 
ed to  the  fame  perfon,  and  that  he  is  called  by  this 
name. 

Thirdly,  we  will  quote  and  illuftrate  fome  paf- 
fages  of  Scripture  in  which  Jefus  Chrift  is  exprefsly 
called  God. 

In  the  fourth  place  it  will  be  proved,  that  Jefus 
Chrift  is  the  object  of  adoration  and  religious  worfliip. 

Laftly,  we  will  give  a  general  anfwer  to  objedlors, 
and  point  out  the  pracflical  ufe  of  the  doctrine. 

Firft  then,  let  us  fhew  that  the  Divine  perfections, 
the  effential  attributes  of  God,  and  all  his  attri- 
butes are  effential,  are  afcribed  to  Jefus  Chrift  the 
fon  cf  God.  And  to  begin  with  the  attribute,  Eter- 
nal, we  find  it  afcribed  unto  the  fon  of  God,  not 
merely  becaufe  .  he  ihall  exift  for  ever,  but  becaufe 
he  really  did,  exift  from  all  eternity.  The  Prophet 
allerts  the  eternity  of  the  Son,  when  he  fays,  his 
goings  forth  have  keen  from  of  old,  from  everlafting  *, 

for 

*f  Micah  v.  2. 


for^he  that  ads  from  everlafting,  that  is  from  all  eter- 
nity, exifts  from  all  eternity,  becaufe  action  fuppol'es 
exiftence.  But  do  thefe  words  of  the  Prophet  relate 
to  the  Son  of  God  ?  The  evangeUft  Matthew  will 
anfwer  the  queftion,  and  Ihew  us  that  the  words  of 
the  Prophet  relate  to  Chrift. 

When  Jefus  was  born  in  Beihlehem  of  Judea,  in 
the  days  of  Herod  the  king,  there  came  wife  men 
from  the  Eaft  to  Jerufaleni  faying,  where  is  he  that 
is  born  king  of  the  Jews  ?  For  we  have  feen  his  ftar 
in  the  Eaft,  and  are  come  to  worfhip  him.  Herod 
made  the  fame  inquiry  but  not  with  the  fame  view  ; 
he  demanded  of  the  chief  priefts  and  elders  where 
Cbrift  fhould  be  born,  and  they  /aid  unto  him,  in  Beth- 
lehem of  Judea,  for  thus  it  ts  written  by  the  Prophet , 
and  thou  Bethlehem  in  the  land  of  Juda,  art  nst  the 
leaft  among  the  princes  of  Juda,  for  out  of  thee  Jh all 
come  a  Governor  that  fh all  rule  my  people  Ifrael  *.  It  is 
evident  that  the  Pi-ophet  and  the  Evangelift fpeak  of 
one  and  the  fame  perfon  who  ihould  be  ruler  in  Ifrael, 
even  the  great  MefTiah,  whoCe  goings  forth,  fays 
Micah,  have  been  from  everlafting  ;  therefore  he  that 
came  out  of  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  that  is,  Chrift,  was 
from  everlafting. 

This  fame  attribute  is  afcribed  to  the  Son,  by  the 
evangelift  John,  and   he  wrote  his  gofoel  at   a  pe- 
riod 

*  Matth.  ii,  I.  d. 


^    5    ^ 

riod  when  the  myftery  of  iniquity  had  begun  to 
work;  for  the  divinity  and  the  incarnation  of  the  foil 
of  God  was  denied  by  foaie  even  in  tlie  d<<ys  of  the 
Apoftles.  We  confider  it  as  a  wife  ^uid  well  ordered 
difpenfation  of  Providence,  that  many  truths  of  the 
everlafling  gcfpel  were  controverted,  at  a  time  when 
the  enemies  of  the  truth  could  be  contradided,  and 
refuted  by  fome  of  the  Apolfles  in  perfon,  by  which 
means  we  have  an  a|5cftolical  decifion  in  tavour  of 
thefe  doctrines,  which  is  as  valid  this  day  as  ever 
it  was.  St.  John  fets  his  face  againO:  the  errors  of  the 
times,  and  refutes  them  in  his  epiftles  and  in  his  gof- 
pel,  which  he  begins  with  an  exprefs  declaration  of 
Chrift^s  eternity  ;  in  the  begimiing  was  the  IVord,  and 
the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  word  was  God,  the 
Jame  was  in  the  beginning  with  God,  ail  things  were  made 
by  him,  and  without  hi?n  was  not  any  thing  made  that 
was  made*-  Let  us  exercife  our  reafon  impartially 
upon  thefe  words  of  the  Evangehfl.  If  by  the  begin- 
ning, we  fhould  underfland  the  commencement  of 
time,  then  it  is  plain  that  the  Logos,  or  Word,  did 
not  begin  to  exill  when  time  began  or  com.menced  ; 
he  exifted  before, time,  before  creation,  before  any 
thing  VN'as  created,  and  enjoyed  glory  with  God  be- 
fore the  world  was.  As  the  Evangelift  alTerts  that 
the  Logos  made  all  things,  fo  of  neceflity  he  muft 
have  had  an  exigence  prior  to  the  things  that  were  by 
him  created  and  made;  he  mufl  have  exifted  before 
the  creation  of  all  things,  and  of  courfe  he  is  not  a 

created 

*  John,  i.  Chap,    i,  2.  Ver. 


created  being  ;  the  Creator  of  all  things  is  uncreated 

and  eternal.      We  fhall  have  occafion   hereafter  to 

fpeak  of  the  Son  as  Creator  of  all  things  vifible  and 

invilible,  and  of  his  eternal  -poiver  and  god-head,  de- 

mcnftrated  by  the   works  of  creation,  and  therefore 

I  fliall  at  prefent  only  infift  upon  a  few  paflages  of 

Scripture  which  are  fufficient  to  prove  the  eternity 

of  the  Son  of  God,    I  think  there  can  be  no   doubt 

'   bur  the  eternity  of  God  is  clearly   afTerted  in   thefe 

word^  of  tlie  Prophet,  thus  faith  the  Lord  the  King 

oflfrael,  and  his  Redeemer  the  Lord  of  Hofts,    I  am 

ihefirfl  and  I  am  the  laf},  and  hefides  me  there  is  no 

God*»       It  is  of  no  moment,  as  to  the  prefeint  quef- 

tion,  whether  thefe  words  are  fpoken  by  the  Father 

or  by  the  Sofi  ;  it  is  fufficient  if  thefe  words,  the  firft 

2nd  the  laft,  are  ^xprefTive  of  the  attribute,  Eternal, 

and  that  they  are  fo  need  not  be  proved.     Now  the 

fame  v/ords  are  ufed  by  the  infpired  writers,  when 

they  fpeak  of  the  fon  of  God;  Jefus  is  Jlpha   and 

Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end-f,    Jefus  is  the  firfl 

^andthe  laflt,  and  therefore  the  attribute    of  eternity 

belongs  to  him  ;  he  claims  it  as  his  undoubted  right. 

Jefus  allerted  his  eternity  in  a  converfation  with 
the  Jews,  who  were  offended  at  him,  becaufe  he 
faid  that  Abraham  faw  his  day  and  rejoiced  ;  Jefus 
fdid  unto  them,  verily ,  verily,  I  fay  unto  you,  before 
Abraham,  was,  I  aj??§  .♦  he  dees  not  fay  before  Abra- 
ham was  I  was,  but,  I  am,  and  thus  he  claims  the 
attribute   of  eternity,   and  aflerts  his  eternity,  in  af- 

fuming 

,*iralah5xliv6.  IRev.  ii  6-1.8. 1  Rev.  i.  iS.  §  Johnvili.jS. 


»     7     oC 

fuming  die  name  of  the  eternal  God,  the  great  I  am* 
This  is   the  name  of  God,  I  am  that  I  AM.     Thuj 

/halt  thou  fay  unto  the  cFiidmi  of  Ifrael,  I  AxM  hath 

fent  me  unto  you,"^^ 

As  God  is  eternal,  fo  alfo  is  he  unchangeable;  he 
that  exifts  from  all  eternity,  rauffc  exift  forever  un- 
changeably the  fame;  wherefore  the  Pfalmifl:  iinging 
the  praifes  of  the  true  God,  the  eternal  and  unchange- 
able God,  addrefTes  him  in  the  following  fublime  and 
beautiful  language,  Of  old  haft  thou  laid  the  foundations 
tfthe  Earthy  and  the  Hea-uens  are  the  works  of  thy  hands. 
They /hall  perijhy  but  thou  ft  alt  endure  ;  yea  all  of  them 
ft  all  wax  old  like  a  garment;  as  a  vefture  ftoalt  thou 
.  change  them  and  they  ftmll  he  changed^  But  thou  art 
the  fame,  and  thy  years  fhall  have  no  end  f.  The 
Apoftle  in  his  epiftle  to  the  Hebrews,  ihews  us  that 
thefe  words  of  the  Pfalraift,  relate  to  the  fon  of 
God,  and  though  in  the  mouth  of  the  Prophet,  they 
may  be  confidered  as  praife  addrelTed  to  the  fon  of 
God,  yet  the  Apoille  fhews  us  that  they  are  the 
words  of  the  Father  addrelTed  to  the  Son,  as  a  full 
declaration  of  his  Godhead.  The  Pfalmift,  in 
fpirit,  repeats  the  words  of  the  Father  to  the  Son, 
and  in  thefe  \yords  fings  the  praifes  of  the  eternal 
and  unchangeable  Creator,  who  is  the  fame  y  eft  er day , 
nrJto  day,  and  forever  %*  If  Jefus  is  the  fame  yef- 
terday  and  to  day  and  forever,  he  is  the  unchange- 
able 

*  Exod.  3.  14.     t  102  Pfalm.     %  Heb.  xlii.  8. 


^     8    c^ 

able  God  ;  and  that  he  is  the  fame  yefterday,  and  to- 
day, and  forever,  isaflerted  by  the  Apoftle. 

The  next  attribute  of  the  Divine  nature  to  be  con- 
fidered,  is  that  of  Omniprefence,  and  it  belongs  to 
the  true  God  and  to  him  a^one.  Am  la  God  at  hand, 
faith  the  Lord,  and  not  a  God  afar  off?  Can  any  hid: 
himfelfln  /ecret  places  that  I  fhall  not  fee  him,  f^ith 
the  Lord  P  Do  not  I  fill  Heaven  aud  Earth,  faith  th^ 
Lord?  Now  Chrift  afFerts  his  Omniprefence  in  his 
difcourfe  with  Nicodemus,  No  man,  faith  Jefus,  hath 
afcended  up  to  Heaven  but  he  that.xame  down  from 
Heaven,  even  the  Son  of  Man  which  is  in  Heaven*  The 
body  of  Jefus  could  not  be  in  Keaven  and  on  Earth 
atone  and  the  fame  time,  and  therefore  we  muft  un- 
derfland  thefe  words  (which  is  in  heaven)  as  relat- 
ing to  that  Nature  which  fills  Heaven  and  Earth, 
and  is  every  where  prefent,  and  we  conclude  that 
Tefus  is  poireflTed  of  this  nature,  and  that  he  is  really 
and  truly  Omniprefent.  The  glorified  body  of  Je- 
fus, is  in  Heaven,  his  body  is  not  Omniprefent, 
yet  Jefus  is  prefent  with  his  church  on  Earth,  and 
with  his  church  in  Heaven ;  the  whole  church  is  the 
myaical  body  of  Chrift,  The  fulnefs  of  him  that  filU 
eth  all  in  all*'  :  Here  the  Apoftle  fays  that  Chrift,  fill- 
eth  all  in  all,  compare  this  expreflion  with  what 
God  fays  of  himfdf,  by  the  mouth  of  the  Prophet, 
Do   not  I  fill   Heaven   and   Earthy    faith    the   Lord? 

It 

*  Eph.  i.  23. 


It  was  the  promife  of  God  to  Ifrael,  that  he  would 
be  prefent  with  his  people  ;  /;?  all  places  -where  I  re- 
cord my  name  J  vj'ill  I  come  unto  thee  and  hlefs  thee*  And 
if  this  be  a  good  proof  of  God^s  Omiiiprefence,  as  it 
certainly  is,  then  the  promife  of  the  fon  of  God  to 
the  church,  when  he  fays.   Where  two  or  three  are 
met  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the   midji  of 
them^,  muft  be   as    good   a  proof  of  his  Omnipre- 
fence.     But  thefe   words  of  our  Lord  will  be  taken 
by  fome  in  a  figurative  fenfe ;  as  if  Chrift  meant  no 
more  by  his    promife,  than  that   he  would  counte- 
nance and   blefs   his  aflembled  people,  or  that    he  is 
prefent  with  them   by   his   authority.     Even  in  this 
fenfe  of  the  words  we  find  an  argument  to  prove  his 
Omnifcience ;  and  we   grant  that  Chrift  is  prefent 
with  his  people  in  this  figurative  fenfe  ;  but  we  con- 
tend, that  he  is  ac1:ually  prefent  with  his  people  every 
where,  and  that  he  is  in  the  midft  of  them.     Ke  does 
not  fay,  when  two  or  three  are  met  together  in   my 
name,  then   I   am  with  them  ;    but  he   fays,  -where 
^nd  there  J  and   in  the  midfl :    which   words  relate  to 
place,  not  time.     But  it  may   be  afked,    if  Chrift  is 
thus  in  the  midft  of  his  people  by  virtue  of  his  Omni- 
prefence,  is  he  not  therefore  neceflarily  prefent  ?  And 
then  how  can  his  words  be  confidered  as  a  promife, 
or  his  prefence  a.  privilege  to   his  people?   I  anfwer 
that  the   fame  objedlion,  if  it  has   any  weight,  lies 
againft  the '  promife  of   God    to    his   people>   under 
C    '  the 

*  Matth.  xviil,   20. 


the  Old  TeftaiTJent  difpenfation ;  yet  there  can  be 
no  doubt  but  that  promife  was  confidered  as  a  very- 
precious  one,  and  that  privilege  as  a  very  exalted 
one. 

But  the  above  figurative  interpretaiion  involves 
thofe  that  deny  the  Ubiquity  of  Chrift,  in  difficul- 
ties iniurmountnble.  For  to  be  in  the  midfl  of  the 
people,  has  fome  meaning,  and  if  it  means  no  more 
than  the  authority  and  bleffings  of  Chrift's  kingdom, 
if  it  only  fignifies  his  favour  and  good-will,  then 
Chrift's  authority  over  his  church  muft  be  granted  ; 
it  muft  be  granted  that  his  people  are  in  the  way  of 
their  duty  when  they  alTemble  in  his  name;  that 
they  receive  fome  peculiar  advantage  by  doing  fo  : 
and  that  Chrift,  fome  way  or  other,  is  employed  in 
obtaining  for  them  a  favourable  anfwer  to  their 
prayers :  their  requefts  ihall  be  granted,  becaufe 
Chrift  is  in  the  midft  of  them.  Why  fo?  Suppofe 
we  fliould  anfwer,  becaufe  Chrift  is  their  advocate 
and  interceflbr,  and  becaufe  he  offers  up  and  pre- 
fents  the  prayers  of  the  faints  with  incenfe ;  this 
thoHah  it  is  not  all  that  our  Saviour's  vv^ords  mean, 
yet  it  is  part  of  the  truth,  and  fufficient  to  prove 
that  Jefus  is  entitled  to  the  attribute  of  Omnifcience. 
For  if  Jefus  is  concerned  in  obtaining  for  hrs  people 
a  favourable  anfwer  to  their  prayers,  then  he  muft 
know  when  they  pray,  and  what  their  prayers  are ; 
he  muft  know  that  his  people   are  met  in  his  name; 

and 


^»       1  I       o^ 

and  whatever  good  he  may  be  rnppofed  to  do  for  his 
people,  whatever  he  means,  by  being  in  the  midft 
of  them,  he  muft  at  leaft  know  who  are  his  people, 
and  who  are  not ;  the  Lordknoweth  thera  that  are 
his,  which  is  an  argument  that  he  is  Omnifcient. 
There  is  nothing  gained  therefore  by  evading  the 
proof  of  Chrifl^s  Omniprefence,  contained  in  the 
above-mentioned  pafTages  of  Scripture  ;  for  if  his 
Omnifcience  be  either  granted  or  proved,  as  fliall  be 
done  in  what  follows,  it  is  of  no  advantage  to  the 
caufe,    to  deny  his  Omniprefence. 

That  the  attribute,  Omnifcient,  belongs  to  Jefns 
Chrift,  is  clearly  alTerted  by  the  Apoftle  Peter,  when 
addreffing  himfelf  to  Jefus,  he  ufes  thefe  remarkable 
words  :  Lord  thou  kmvjefl  all  things j  thou  knovjej} 
that  I  love  thee*  Was  this  a  flattering  compliment, 
or  the  real  truth  \  Who  v/ill  venture  to  aflert  the 
former?  If  then  the  words  of  the  Apoftle  are  true, 
and  that  they  are  true  we  have  this  evidence,  name- 
ly, that  Jefus  did  not  reprove  Peter,  but  on  the 
contrary  approved  of  his  declaration,  by  immediate- 
ly giving  him  charge  to  feed  his  fheep  ;  I  fay  'f  the 
words  of  Peter  are  true,  as  they  certainly  are,  then 
thej^ contain  this  true  proportion,  that  Chrift  know- 
eth  all  things.,  Again,  it  is  faid  of  Chrift,  that  he 
needed  not  that  any  Jhould  tejlify  of  man  ;  for  he  knew 
vjhat  was   In  man  *•        It    is  exprefsly  faid   that  he 

kne-m 

*  John  ii.  24,  25. 


^o       12      c^ 

knew  all  men  ;  he  knew  their  hearts,  and  he  was  ao- 
quainied  with  their  fecret  thoughts,  reafonings,  fur- 
mifes,  and  murmurings  ;  J  ejus  knew  from  the  begin- 
ning who  they  were  that  believed  not,  and  who  flould 
betray  him  *» 

If  any  fliould  make  light  of  thefe  teftimonies, 
there  is  a  declaration  of  the  Lord  Jefus,  which 
is  not  only  perfeclly  decifiv^e,  but  of  a  mofl  awful 
and  alarming  nature.  Jll  the  Churches  /hall  know, 
that  1  am  he  which  fearcheth  the  reins  and  hearts  ;  and 
I  will  give  unto  every  one  of  you  according  to  his 
works  f .  Compare  thefe  words  with  what  God  fays 
by  the  mouth  of  the  Prophet,  /  the  Lord  fearch  the 
heart,  I  try  the  reins,  even  to  give  unto  every  man  ac" 
cording  to  his  ways  J.  It  is  moft  evident  that  the  per- 
fon  who  fpeaks  thus,  by  the  Prophet,  is  the  all- wife 
God  ;  it  is  his  prerogative  to  fearch  the  hearts,  and 
try  the  reins  of  the  children,  of  men  :  as  Solomon 
declares  at  the  dedication  of  the  Temple :  Hear 
thou  In  Heaven  thy  dwelling  place,  and  forgive  and  do, 
and  give  to  every  man  according  to  his  ways  ;  whoje 
heart  thou  knowej},  for  thou,  even  thou  only,  knqweji 
the  hearts  of  all  the  children  of  men '  J 

As  the  Lord  Jefus  is  the  perfon  who  fliall  judge 
the  world  in  rightcoufnefs ;  he  mud  therefore  be  pof- 

fefTed 


v:  John  vi.  64,         t  Rev.  ii.  23*         t-  JeJ*'  xvii.  ic, 
§  Kings  viii.  39. 


»     13     ^ 

fefled  of  infinite  knowledge ;  for  how  can  he  judge 
righteoufly  if  he  does  not  know  the  hearts  of  all  the 
children  of  men  ?  If  he  will  render  unto  every  one 
according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body  ;  if  he  will 
give  unto  every  one  according  to  his  ways  ;  he  muft 
know  every  individual  that  fliall  ftand  before  his  tri- 
bunal :  he  muft  know  their  works  and  their  ways, 
their  actions,  their  words  and  their  thoughts  ;  no- 
thing muft  be  hid  from  him  ;  he  muft  be  the  fearch- 
er  of  hearts  indeed  :  and  that  he  is  fo,  is  alTerted  by 
himfelf,  and  by  his  Apoftle  under  the  influence  of 
his  holy  fpirit.  The  Word  of  God  is  quick  and  power- 
ful j  and  Jharpsr  than  any  two  edged  fword,  piercing, 
even  io  the  dividing  ajunder  of  foul  and  fpirit  y  and  of 
the  pints  and  marrow ^  and  is  a  difcerner  of  the 
thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart  ;  neither  is  there  any 
creature  that  is  not  manifeft  in  his  fight  ;  hut  all  things 
are  naked  and  opened  unto  the  eyes  of  him  with  whom 
we  have  to  do*.  Another  attribute  of  the  Divine 
nature  is  Omnipotence,  or  Almighty  power  ;  he  that 
is  Omnipotent  is  God ;  our  God  is  the  might)'-  God 
of  Jacob,  the  moft  mighty,  the  Almighty.  Now 
if  this  attribute  is  afcribed  to  Jefus  the  Son  of  God, 
it  muft  follow  as  a  juft  concluiion,  that  he  is  pofleired 
of  that  nature  to  which  this  attribute  is  efTential  ; 
and  that  it  is  afcribed  to  the  Son  of  God  v/e  have 
abundant  evidence.  Thus  faith  the  evangelical  pro- 
phet :  Unto  us  a  child  is  borny  unto  us  a  fon  is  given, 
and  the  government  flmll  he  upon  his  fnoulder ;  and  his 

name 

*  Heb.  iv.  12.  13. 


» 

name  /ball  he  called  Wonderful,  Councellor,  the  migh^ 
iy  God,  the  everlajVing  Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace* 
and  the  Pfalmift  thus  addrefles  the  Son  of  God,  gird 
thy  fmrd  upon  thy  thigh,  0  moft  Mighty^  with  thy 
glory  and  thy  majefiy  ;  and  in  thy  majefiy  ride  pro/per' 
oufly,  becaufe  of  truth  and  meeknefs,  and  righteouf- 
nefs  ;  and  thy  right  hand  (loall  teach  thee  terrible 
things. f  When  the  Apoftle  fays,  that  Chrift  is 
able  even  to  fuhdiie  all  things  to  him/elf, %  he  afcribes 
unto  him  alaiighty  power,  for  that  alone  is  able  to 
fubdue  all  things  ;  and  we  may  fafely  conclude  that 
the  Son  of  God  is  Almighty,  for  by  him  zuere  all 
things  created  that  are  in  Heaven  and  thai  are  in 
Earth,  vifible  and  invifible,  whether  they  he  thrones, 
or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers,  all  things 
were  created  by  him  and  for  hhn,  and  he  is  before  all 
things,  and  by  him  all  things  confift.^  In  thefe  words 
we  have  a  full  proof  of  Chrift's  omnipotence,  for 
creation  is  the  work  of  almighty  power.  The 
Apoftle  fays,  that  the  invifible  things  of  God,  from 
the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  feen,  being  under^ 
flood  by  the  things  that  are  made,  even  his  eternal 
power  and  godhead*\  The  things  that  are  made  de- 
monftrate  the  being  and  exiftence  of  the  invifible 
God  ;  they  are  a  bright  and  glorious  demonftration 
of  his  eternal  power  and  godhead.     God  is  invifible, 

*  Ifaiah,  ix.  6.     t  Pfalm,  45.     %  Phillppians,  iii.  21. 
§  ColofT,  i.  16.  II  Rom.  i,   20. 


^    15    c^ 

andhispower  is  invifible  in  itfelf,  it  can  only  be  feen 
in  its  efFeds,  the  mighty  works  it  has  done.  The 
things  that  are  made,  are  the  mirrors  in  which  we 
behold  the  rays  of  divine  and  infinite  power,  they 
prove  that  there  is  a  God,  becaufe  they  prove  that 
there  is  an  eternal,  creating  power;  and  fhall  they 
prove  the  eternal  power  of  God,  and  leave  it  doubt- 
ful whether  this  power  is  infinite,  or  almighty  ?  No, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  in  this  cafe,  the  power  that  is 
eternal  is  infinite,  almighty ;  there  can  be  no  fuch 
thing  as  an  eternal  imperfedicn,  whoever  is  eternal 
is  all  perfeft.  Thus  the  light  of  nature  renders  the 
condud  of  the  Heathens  inexcufable,  when  profef- 
fing  themfelves  to  be  wife,  they  became  fools ;  and 
changed  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible  God,  into 
an  image  made  like  to  corruptible  man.  How  in- 
excufable then  are  they  that  refufe  to  glorify  the 
Son  of  God,  who  is  the  Creator  of  all  things  vifible 
and  invifible  1  They  rob  him  of  the  glory  of  his 
works,  and  refufe  to  give  him  that  praife  which  is 
due  to  the  Great  Creator,  even  the  God  who  made 
them.  But  is  there  lefs  power  required  to  uphold 
all  things  than  to  create  all  things?  Surely  not; 
now  Ghrift  is  faid  to  uphold  all  things  by  the  word 
of  his  power;  he  is  not  only  before  all  things,  but 
by  him  all  things  confift,  which  is  as  much  as  to  fay, 
that  in  him  ws  live,  and  rnovcy  and  have  our  being. 
It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  Son  of  God  created  all 
things ;  but  fome  will  endeavour  to  evade  the  force 

of 


^       16      c^ 

of  this  argument,  by  faying  that  the  Son  created 
all  things,  only  as  an  inflrument  and  by  communi- 
cated power.  We  anfwer,  that  the  vifible  creation, 
the  things  that  are  made,  are  a  clear  demonftration 
of  eternal  power  and  godhead  :  and  can  Eternal  and 
Almighty  power,  can  infinity,  be  communicated 
to  a  finite  being*  ?  Can  an  inflrument  exercife  Al- 
mighty power  ?  But  farther,  if  the  Son  is  an  inftru- 
mental  creator,  is  this  inftrument  eternal  or  not  ? 
If  he  is  eternal,  I  muft  afcribe  unto  him  abfolute  per- 
fection, and  then  he  is  poireiTed  of  infinite  power  :  If 
he  is  not  eternal,  then  he  is  a  created  being;  and 
yet  the  Creator  of  all  things  viUble  and  invifible, 
an inftrumental  felf-creating  Creator  and  creature; 
but  this  is  a  moft  palpable  abfurdity.  Is  it  not  more 
rational,  feeing  we  muft  acknowledge  that  Chrift  is 
the  Creator  of  all  things  vifible  and  invifible,  and 
that  he  upholds  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power, 
and  that  all  things  were  made  by  him  and  for  him  ; 
I  fay,  is  it  not  more  rational  to  confefs  that  he  is  pof- 
fefied  of  Eternal  and  Almighty  power,  and  that  this 
power  was  exercifed  by  him  in  the  work  of  creation, 
than  to  have  recourfe  to  fuch  a  lame  hypothefis^^  But 
that  Chrift  is  polTejOTed  of  Almighty  power  we  can- 
not deny,  unlefs  we  are  difpofed  to  contradid  the 
Apoftle  when  he  alTerts,  that  in  Jefus  divelleth  all 
the  fullnefs  of  the  Godhead  bodily  -}- . 

*  Note,  Chrifl  is  a  Creature  if  he  is  not  God  Almighty. 
t  Coloflians,  ii.  9. 


^     17     ^ 

There  are  indeed,  two  texts  of  Scripture,  which  are 
confidered  by  fome,  as  an  argument  in  favour  of  the 
above-mentioned  hypothecs  of  inftrumental  creation; 
the  firft,   is   the   ninth   verfe  of  the  third  chapter  of 
the  epiftle   to  the  Ephefians,    viz.     Jnd  to  77iake  all 
men  fee  v)hat  is  the  felUw/Ijip  of  the  myftery^  vihich 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world  hath  been  hid  in  Ged 
whg  created  all  things  by   Jefus  Chrlft.       The   fccond 
palTage  is  in  the  epiftle  to  the  Hebrews,  firft    chapter 
and    fecond   verfe,    viz.    by  whom  alfo    he  made    the 
Worlds,       The  firft  of  thefe  texts  relates,   we  pre- 
fume,  to  the  new  birth,   the  new  creation,    the  re- 
novation of  the  hearts  of  men;  in  this  fenfe  the  v/ord 
create,  is  ufed  in  other  places  of  this  Epiftle,  as  is 
fufHciently  obvious;  and   the  word    created,  may  be 
taken   in  this  fenfe,   in  the   Text  above  quoted.     In 
the  divine  economy  of  falvation,  the  Father  is  faid 
to  do  feveral  things  by  his  Son,   acling  in  the   me- 
diatorial capacity  ;   but  this  is  no  proof  that  the  Son 
is   inferior  to  the  Father  ;  nay,   what  the  Son  does 
in    this  capacity   is  a   proof  of  his   almighty   pow- 
er.      As  to  the  other   text,  by   who??i    alfo  he  made 
the  worlds,   fome   have   endeavoured   to  explain  it  in 
the  fame  way;   but  I  have  no  objedion  to  confider  ic 
as  relating  to  the  work  of  creation  in  a  natural  fenfe 
though   I   do  not  pretend   to  fay   that   it  is  nccef- 
fary  fo  to  do  ;    but  admitting  that  both  thefe  pafTa- 
gcs  relate  to  the  work  of  creation  in  a  natural  fenfe, 
D  what 


^     i8     c^ 

I  what  do  they  prove  ?  They  do  not  prove  that  the 
Son  is  a  creature  ;  do  they  prove  that  the  power  by 
him  exercifed  in  creating  all  things,  creating  the 
worlds,  is  not  Almighty  >  Do  they-  prove  that  it  is 
not  eternal,  and  that  the  things  that  are  made,  are 
not  a  demonftration  of  his  eternal  power  and  God- 
head ?  It  is  fufficient  to  prove  the  Almighty  power 
of  Jefus  Chrift,  that  all  things  were  created  by  him  : 
if  he  exercifes  almighty  power,  then  he  is  almighty. 

Though  we  may  not  be  able  to  afertain  the  pre- 
cife  meaning  of  the  Apoftle  in  the  above  two  texts, 
yet  we  can  plainly  fee  that  they  do  not  fupport  an 
abfurd  hypothefis,  and  that  they  do  not  contradid, 
becaufe  they  were  not  intended  to  contradi6t  thofe 
declarations  of  fcripture,  in  which  the  Son  is  di- 
re£lly  addrefied,  and  fpoken  of,  as  the  creator  of 
all  things. 

Can  we  think  that  the  Apoftle  meant  to  deny  the 
omnipotence  of  him  that  laid  the  foundations  of 
the  earth  ?  Can  we  think  that  the  Pfalmift  did  not 
praife  the  Almighty  Creator,  when  he  fays,  of  old 
hajl  thou  laid  the  foundations  of  the  Earthy  and  the 
Heavens  are  the  -work  of  thy  hands  P  Which  words 
are  applied  to  Chrift  by  the  Apoftle  in  the  Epiftle 
to  the  Hebrews  ;  yea,  they  are  to  be  confidered  as 
addrefTed  to  the  Son  by  the  Father,  faying.  Thou 
Lord  in  the  beginning  haft  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
Earth,    and  the  Heavens  are  the  -work  of  thine  hands. 

Farther, 


^    19    0^ 

Farther,  he  that  made  all  things,  made  them  for 
himfelf.  Creation  gives  him  a  complete  property 
in  the  creatures,  they  are  his  becaut'e  he  made 
them  ;  the  Heavens  are  thine,  the  earth  alfo  Is  thine  ; 
as  for  the  vjorld  and  the  fiilnefs  thereof  thou  hafl 
founded  them  :  Now  all  things  were  made  by  the 
Son,  and  for  him,  and  hy  him  all  things  conjift.  All 
things  'were  made  by  him,  and  without  him  luas  not 
any  thing  made  that  was  made* 

The  Refurredion  of  the  Dead,  at  the  coming, 
and  by  the  power  of  Chrift,  will  be  a  glorious  de- 
monftration  of  his  almighty  power  ;  and  as  the 
fcripture  aiTures  us  that  the  dead  (hall  be  raifed,  and 
that  Chrift  is  the  perfon  who  will  raife  the  dead, 
change  our  vile  bodies,  and  fafliion  them  like  unto 
his  glorious  body,  according  to  the  workirtg  whereby 
he  is  abtexven  to  fubdue  all  things  to  himfelf*'  ;  So 
we  have  here  full  evidence  of  his  almighty  power. 

Mofes,  in  his  account  of  the  creation,  fays,  that 
the  Elokim  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth  ;  this 
word  Elohim  is  in  the  plural  number,  and  con- 
flrued  with  a  verb  in  the  fmglar  number  ;  and 
this  is  no  obfcure  intimation  that  ihe  work  of  crea- 
tion was  performed  by  more  perfons  than  one  ;  and 
that  thefe  are  one  God.  The  Elohim  faid,  let  us 
ipake  man  in  our  Image.     There  is  only    one   God, 

but 

*  Philip,  iii.  2i. 


but  in  the  Godhead  there  are  three  diftinft  perfons  ; 
thefe  perfons  are  called  the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Holy  Ghoft.  Thefe  three  are  one  God.  For 
there  are  three  that  hear  record  in  Heaven,  the  Father ^ 
the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghofi,  and  thefe  three  are 
one.  Though  the  authenticity  of  this  text  has  been 
controverted,  yet  it  has  not  been  proved  that  it  is 
fpurious  ;  on  the  contrary,  there  are  many  evidences 
of  its  authenticity  ;  but  without  it,  there  is  Scripture 
enough  to  prove  the  doctrine  of  the  ever-blefled  Tri- 
nity. The  Father  is  called  Jehovah,  the  Son  is  called 
Jehovah,  and  the  Spirit  is  called  Jehovah,  yet  Je- 
hovah the  living  and  true  God,  is  one  God.  That 
the  Father  is  Creator,  none  will  deny  ;  that  the  Son 
is  Creator,  and  that  the  Spirit  is  Creator,  is  not  to 
be  denied  without  contraditHiing  the  holy  Scriptures  • 
and  though  we  do  not  pretend  to  know  the  fyftem 
of  order^  obferved  by  the  Divine  perfons  in  the  God- 
head, in  the  work  of  creation,  for  the  ways  and 
works  of  God  are  unfearchable,  yet  we  know  that 
creation  is  the  v/ork  of  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy 
Ghoft  ;  that  the  things  that  are  made,  are  a  demon- 
flration  of  eternal  power,  almighty  power  and  God- 
head, and  that,  therefore,  the  power  of  the  Son, 
which  we  here  particularly  intend  to  prove,  is  eternal 
and  almighty. 

If  what  has  been  faid  concerning  the  power  of 
Chrift,  as  evidenced  in  the  works  of  creation  and  pro- 
vidence, if  his  having  created  all  things,  and  his  pre- 


^      21      0^ 

fent  upholding  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power 
and  his  beirg  able  even  to  rubuae  all  things  to  him- 
felf,  fhculd  leen  precarious,  ar^d  infufficient  to  prove 
that  he  is  inritled  to  che  attribute  Almighty  ;  there 
are  inaiiy  fxrs  of  Scnptur^j  in  which  this  attribute  is 
difedly  afcribed  to  the  Sen  of  God. 

In  the  firft  chapter  of  the  Revelation  of  John,  we 
Hod  thefe  reRiarkable  words  :  I  am  Jlpha  and  Omega 
the  beginning  and  'he  ending  faith  the  Lord,  -which  is 
and  i^ioich  wasy  -^yid  uuhicl}  is  to  come,  the  Almighty. 
In  thefe  words  s"?  contained  the  divine  attributes 
of  eternity  y;id  oiixnipotence  ;  of  this  there  can  be  no 
doubt ;  the  only  nusftlon  is,  who  is  the  perfon^ 
whofe  words  John  repeals.  I  The  r  are  the  words  of 
Jefus*  IVha  is  tit  fai  hjul  -mitnejs.  ihe prfi  begotten 
tf  the  iead)  and  ih::  prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth  : 
they  are  thr  words  of  that  Saviour,  whom  John 
worfhipj)€d,  layicg,  unto  him  that  loved  us,  and 
lijcifned  us  from  our  jin^  in  his  oiun  blood,  and  hath 
made  us  kings  and  prlefis  unto  God  and  his  Father ; 
to  him  be  glory  and  domimon  for  ever  and  ever^ 
amen*  The  comir.g  of  this  glorious  perfon  is  pro- 
c]a^m^:d,  and  his  dignity  is  aiTerted  in  the  words 
which  here  follow  ;  J  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the 
beginning  and,  the  ending,  faith  the  Lord,  which 
is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come,  the  Al- 
mighty. The  Apoftle  tells  us  the  place  and  time, 
where,  and  when,  he  faw  iiis  vi{ion,  it   was  in  the 

lile 


'^^       22      c^ 

Ifle  of  Patmos,  and  on  the  Lord's  day.  /  nvas  in 
the /pint  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  heard  behind  me  a 
great  voice,  as  of  a  trumpet,  faying,  1  am  Alpha 
and  Omega^  the  firft  and  the  laft.  And  1  turned 
t<3  fee  the  voice  that  fpake  with  me,  {that  is,  I  turned 
to  fee  the  psrfon  who  uttered  the  voice)  and  being 
turned,  I  faw  feven  golden  candlejlicks,  and  in  the 
midft  ©/  the  candlefiicks,  one  like  unto  the  Sort  of 
Man*  Then  follows  a  very  particular  defcription  of 
the  perfcn  who  appeared,  and  of  the  elFedt  which 
the  vifion  had  upon  John,  who  when  he  faw  him, 
fell  at  his  feet  as  dead ;  and,  fays  the  Apoftle,  he 
laid  his  right  hand  upon  me,  faying  unto  me,  fear 
not ;  I  am  the  firft  and  the  laft ;  \  2im  he  that  liveth, 
and  -was  dead,  and  behold  I  am  alive  for  ever  more^ 
amen,  and  have  the  keys  of  Death  and  Hell.  It  is 
plain  that  it  is  the  Son  of  God  who  fpeaks  in  the  four 
laft  verfes  of  this  chapter.  And  it  is  alfo  plain  that 
he  fpeaks  in  the  eleventh  verfe,  and  twice  he  calls 
himfelf  the  firft  and  the  laft  ;  why  then  may  not  the 
words  of  the  eighth  verfe  be  fpoken  of  him,  by  the 
Apoflle,  as  words  he  heard  him  fpeak  ?  It  is  one  per- 
fon  who  fpeaks  to  John  from  the  beginning  of  the 
eleventh  verfe  to  the  end  of  the  chapter;  and  he 
that  calls  himfelf  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  firft  and  the 
laft,  is  as  much  intitled  to  call  himfelf  the  Alnaigh- 
ty,  as  to  claim  the  attribute  of  eternity,  which  he 
actually  doc5. 

But   the   attribute  Almighty   is  afcribed   to  Jefus 

Chrift 


^     23     c^ 

Chrift,  in  the  fongs  of  praife  which  are  fung  in  Hea- 
ven by  his  Church  triumphant.  The  Saints  of  God 
are  reprefented  as  (landing  upon  a  fea  of  glafs,  having 
in  their  hands  the  harps  of  God  ;  and  they  fiig  the 
fong  of  Mofes  the  fervant  of  God^  and  the  fong  of  the 
Lamb,  faying,  great  and  marvellous  are  thy  'ivorks. 
Lord  God  Almighty  ;  juft  and  true  are  thy  ways  thou 
king  of  faints.  Who  fhall  not  fear  thee  0  Lord  and 
glorify  thy  name,  for  thou  only  art  holy  ;  for  all  nations 
fhall  come  and  ivorfhlp  before  thee,  for  thy  judgmeiits  are 
made  manlfefl*  * 

This  is  a  very  fublime  and  heav^enly  fong  ;  it  con- 
tains the  high  praifes  of  the  Lord  God  Almighty, 
whofe  works  are  great  and  marvellous;  and  it  will 
be  granted,  that  the  faints  of  God  knew  perfedly  well 
that  it  ought  not  to  be  fung  in  praife  of  any  one,  but 
the  true  and  living  God.  Now  it  is  very  evident, 
that  this  very  fong  of  praife  is  addrelTed  to  the  Lamb  ; 
the  victorious  Mefliah,  the  king  of  faints,  and  right- 
eous Judge,  whofe  judgments  were  then  made  mani- 
feft.  This  fong  was  not  fung  by  the  Lamb,  but 
was  fung  to  his  glory  and  his  praife  ;  and  even  in 
this  fenfe  it  may  with  propriety  be  called  the  fong  of 
the  Lamb  ;  as  David  calls  the  fong  which  he  fang 
in  the  watches  of  the  night,  in  praife  of  his  God, 
the  fong  of  God  :    The  Lord  will  command  his  loving 

klndneff^s 

^i  Rev.  XV.  Chap. 


^      24      <^ 

ktndneffes  in  the  day  time,  arid  hy  night  his  fong /hall  be 
with  me,  and  my  prayer  unto  the  Cod  dfmy  life* 

The  words  of  this  facred  forg  fhew  that  it  is  ad- 
drefled  to,  and  fung  in  praife  o^  the  Lamb,  for  who 
is  the  king  of  faints,  and  whofe  judgments  are  made 
manifeft?  thejudgrrents  of  the  Melli^h,  the  Lamb  ; 
for  in  this  book  he  is  defcribed  as  the  victoi  iocs  cap- 
tain of  our  falvation,  who  has  conquered  his  and  our 
enemies,  avenged  his  faints,  and  made  manifeft  his 
power  and  his  judgments.  His  er;emies  are  repre- 
fented  as  making  war  with  the  Lamb,  but  they  are 
defeated,  confounded,  and  deftroyed ;  thefe,  fays 
John,  fhall  make  war  with  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb 
ihall  overcome  them,  for  he  is  Lord  of  Lords,  and 
King  of  Kings,  and  they  that  are  with  him  are  called, 
and  chofeny  and  faithfuU^  I  fliall  produce  tv/o  mor« 
paflages  of  Scripture  in  which  the  attribute  Almigh- 
ty, is  afcribe  i  unto  the  Son  of  God.  And  I  heard 
the  Angel  of  the  ivatcrs  Jay,  thou  art  righteous  0 
Lord,  which  art,  and  waft,  and  art  to  come,  hecaufe 
thou  haft  judged  thus  :  for  they  have  floed  the  blood  of 
Saints  and  Prophets,  and  thou  haft  given  them  blood  to 
drink,  for  they  are  v)orthy»  And  I  heard  another  out 
of  the  Altar  fay,  even  fo.  Lord  God  Almighty,  true 
end  righteous  are  thy  judgments,  j- 

And  again,  in  another  place,  JVe give  thee  thanks, 

0 

*  Rev.  xvii.   14,  f  Rev.  xvi,  7. 


^      25      ^ 

Of  Lord  God  Mrnlghty,  which  art,  and  luafi,  and  art 
to  come,  becaufe  thou  haji  taken  unto  thee  thy  great  po^Jiet 
and  hafl  reigned*  And  the  nations  were  angry,  and  thy 
wrath  is  come,  and  the  time  of  the  dead,  that  they  Jhould 
he  judged,  and  that  thou  Jhrnldjl  give  reward  unto  thy 
fervants  the  prophets,  cind  to  the  faints,  and  them  that 
fear  thy  name,  fmall  and  g^c<^t,  andfhouldji  deftroy  them 
that  deftroy  the  Earth. '^ 

That  thefe  words  are  addrelTed  to  Chrift,  We  may- 
be convinced  by  the  following  confiderations  :  Fird, 
Chrifl  as  King  and  head  of  his  Church,  governs  and 
defends  it  ;  pours  out  his  wrath  and  his  judgments 
on  the  nations,  and  fubdues  his  enemies  by  that 
power  which  is  able  to  fubdue  all  things.  Secondly, 
he  that  thus  reigns  as  king  of  his  Church,  judges 
the  nations,  and  avenges  his  people,  is  the  perfoa 
who  (hall  finally  judge  the  world  in  righteoufnefs* 
He  that  reigns  and  judges,  and  manifefts  his  judg- 
ments, antcedent  to  the  laft  judgment,  is  the  fame 
that  (hall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  at  the  laft 
day ;  when  he  fhall  finally  reward  his  fervants  that 
have  been  faithful  unto  death  ;  unto  thefe  he  will 
give  a  crown  of  life.  Now  it  is  the  Son  who  (hall 
judge  the  world  in  righteoufnefs  ;  he  fhall  /?/  upoft 
-the  throne  of  his  glory,  and  before  him  Jh  all  he  gathered  all 
nations.  He  that  iliall  come  in  a  vifible  manner,  in 
glory,  and  attended  by  the  holy  Angels,  and  fhall 

fie 

*  Rev.  xl.  17,  18, 
E 


^      26      c^ 

fit  Upon  the  throne  of  his  glory,  is  the  Son ;  this 
/hall  be  the  glorious  appearing  of  our  great  God  and 
Saviour  Jefus  Chriil,  when  he  fhall  come  to  take 
vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that 
obey  not  the  gofpel  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  :  thefe 
fhali  be  punifhed  with  everlafting  deflruclion,  from 
the  prefence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his 
power,  when  he  Ihall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his 
Saints.  We  have  therefore  afcertained  the  Perfon 
who  is  to  be  judge  at  the  Great  Day  ;  it  is  the  fame 
perfon  who  now  reigns  and  judges,  and  has  mani- 
fefted  his  judgments,  and  fhall  make  them  more  and 
more  manifeft  in  the  Earth  :  but  this  perfon  who  is 
reprefented  in  the  book  of  Revelations,  as  reigning, 
judging,  avenging  and  rewarding,  is  called  the  Al- 
mighty God. 

If  it  be  faid  that  the  Son  exercifes  judgment  now, 
and  ihall  judge  at  the  Great  Day,  by  a  commiffion  from 
the  Father  ;  we  grant  that  all  judgment  is  commit- 
ted to  him ;  The  Father  hlmfelf  judgeth  no  man,  but 
hath  committed  ail  judgment  unto  the  Son,  becaufe  he 
is  the  fon  ofjnaH'  We  believe  this  Scripture  as  well 
as  any  other,  and  we  believe,  that  God  hath  appointed 
a  day  in  -vshlch  he  will  jugds  the  world  in  righteous^ 
nefs,  by  that  ynan  whom  he  hath  ordained*  Thefe 
words  afcertain  the  perfon  who  is  to  judge,  and  are 
no  objedion  to  cur  doctrine;  they  take  away  no  at- 
tribute from  tlie  Son  of  God  ;  they  do  not  prove  that 

he 


^      27      ^ 

he  Is  not  Almighty,  Omnifcient,  and  the  fearcher  of 
hearts;  they  only  relate  to  him  as  fuftaining  the  me- 
diatorial office  and  character,  as  fuch  he  is  anointed 
to  .be  king  of  his  Church,  as  Inch,  all  judgment  is 
committed  to  him,  and  becaufe  he  is  the  Son  of 
man.  But  in  vain  is  he  anointed  king,  and  the 
Judge  of  all,  if  he  is  not  God  as  well  as  man  :  if  he 
is  not  all-wife,  almighty,  the  fearcher  of  hearts,  he 
is  not  able  to  execute  the  offices  of  King  and  Judge, 
to  him  committed  as  mediator.  We  fhail  have  oc- 
cafion  to  fpeak  of  Chrift  as  mediator,  in  a  fubfe- 
quent  difcourfe,  and  will  conclude  this  fermcn  with 
a  fhort  recapitulation.  It  is  hoped  that  every  unpre- 
judiced reader,  has  received  fatisfacT:ory  evidence, 
that  the  attributes  of  Eternity,  Omniprefence,  and 
Omnipotence,  are  afcribed  to  the  Ton  of  God.  The 
Scriptures  alTure  us  that  he  is  the  Creator  of  all 
things ;  the  upholder  of  all  things  ;  and  that  he  is 
able  even  to  fubdue  all  things  to  himfelf.  We  have 
feen  it  revealed  in  the  word  of  God,  that  he  is  the 
Alpha  and  Omega,  the  firft  and  the  laft ;  that  he  is 
the  King  of  Kings  and  Lord<  of  Lords  ;  the  victorious 
Captain  of  our  Salvation  ;  the  Heart-fearching 
Judge  of  the  quick  and  of  the  dead,  who  will 
give  unto  every  one  according  to  his  works.  0  may 
lue  he  found  of  him  in  peace,  without  f pot,  and  blame- 
lefs ;  may  we  be  looking  for,  and  hajiing  unto  the 
coming  of  the  day  of  God^  Let  us  take  hold  of  his 
ftrength,  and  of  his  holy  covenant ;  let  us  fubmit  to 
his  authority,  and  hifs  the  Son  le/}  he  be  angry ^  and  we 

we 


we  penjh  from  the  way,  when  his  -wrath  Is  kindled 
hut  a  liitle  j  hlejfed  are  all  they  that  -put  their  trvji  m 
hlnu 


SERMON  SECOND. 


John,  ^oth  Chap.  28th  Verfe. 

Jnd  Thomas  anfwered  and  /aid  unto  him,  my  Lord,  and 

my  Cod*, 

IN  this  difcourfe,  it  is  propofed  to  fhew,  that  the 
Divine  attributes  of  Holinels,  Juftice  Mercy, 
Truth,  and  Faithfulnefs,  are  afcribed  to  Jefus  Chrift 
the  fon  of  God. 

Secondly,  we  fhall  Jhew  that  he  is  called  by  the 
divine,  adorable,  and  incommunicable  name,  Jeho» 
vah. 

Thirdly,  we.  will  quote  and  illuftrate  fome  para- 
ges of  Scripture,  in  which  Jefus  Chrift  is  exprefsly 
called  God«  ^' 

The  divine  attribute  of  holinefs,  that  is,  infinite 
holinefs^  comes  firft  under  our  coniidcration.    The 

holinei's 


^     3°     ^ 

holliiels  of  God  is  infinite,  he  only  is  holy  ;  he  is  the 
Holy  One ;  the  Holy  One  of  Jacob ;  the  Holy  One 
of  Ifrael.  It  cannot  be  denied,  that  thefe  words  are 
ufed  to  fignify  an  infinite  holinefs  ;  for  God  who  is 
infinitely  holy.,  ufes  thefe  exprefiions  to  fignify  his 
own  holinefs  ;  I  am,  fays  he,  the  Lord  your  Holy 
One,  If,  then,  thefe  words  denote  the  holinefs  of 
the  living  and  true  God,  even  the  God  of  Ifrael,  and 
if  the  Holy  Spirit  fpeaks  of  the  holinefs  of  the  Son 
Chrifl  Jefus,  in  the  fame  words,  and  in  the  fame 
ftile,  this  conclufion,  namely,  that  his  holinefs  h 
infinite,  muft  evidently  follow. 

Firft,  then,  the  Son  of  God  is  called,  the  Holy 
One  of  Ifrael',  and  the  Church  is  encouraged  to  truft 
in  him  as  her  Creator,  her  Hufband,  and  her  Re- 
deemer :  Thy  Maker  is  thine  Uujhand,  the  Lord  of 
Hofls  is  his  name  ;  and  thy  Redeemer  the  Holy  One  of 
Ifrael ;  the  God  of  the  whole  Earth  /ball  he  be  call- 
ed*^^  It  is  very  plain,  that  thefe  words  relate  to  the 
Son  of  God  ;  for  he  is  the  hufband  and  the  Redeem- 
er of  the  Church  ;  he  is  the  Bridegroom,  and  the 
Church  is  his  Bride,  his  beloved,  his  efpoufed.  Je- 
fus, who  paid  the  price  of  our  Redemption,  re- 
deemed us  to  God  by  his  blood,  and  purchafed  the 
Church  with  his  own  blood,  is  the  Redeemer,  in 
whom  we  have  Redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the 
forgivenefs   of  fins,      I    know,    faid  holy  Job,    that 

my 

Ifaiah,  liv*  5» 


»    31    •€ 

my  Redeemer  liveth;  and  that  he  fl:  all  ft  and  at  the 
latter  day  ufon  the  Earth.  But  is  it  neceflary  to 
prove  what  has  been  acknowledged  by  the  Church 
of  Chrift,  in  all  ages  of  the  world,  and  is  teftified 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  Is  it  neceflary  to  prove  that 
Jefus  Chrift  is  the  Redeemer  ?  and  if  it  is  true  that 
he  is  the  Redeemer,  then  it  is  as  true,  that  he  is  the 
Holy  One  of  Ifrael.  We  might  reft  the  proof  of 
the  Son's  infinite  holinefs  upon  thefe  words  alone  ; 
for  the  Holy  One  of  Ifrael  is  infinitely  holy,  and 
unto  him  the  Church  in  Heaven,  finging  the  Re- 
deemer's praifes,  fays,  thou  only  art  holy.  * 

But  again,   Jefus  Chrift  is  called  the  Holy  One  of 
Cod ;    and  the  Pfalmift  fpeaking   of  him,  fays,  thou 
wilt   not  fuffer   thine  Holy   One   to    fee  corruption. 
Jefus   is   holy   as   to  his   Human   nature,    the  holy 
child  Jefus;     holy    in    his    miraculous    conception, 
holy  in   his  birth,  holy   in  his  life,  and  holy  in  his 
death ;  but  ther^  is   an  infinite  holinefs  afcribed   to 
him,  in  the  following  words  of  the  infpired  Prophet  : 
Seventy   weeks,  fays  the    Prophet   Daniel,  are   de- 
termined   upon  thy  people,  and  upon  the  holy  city, 
to  finiih   the   tranfgreflion,  and  to  make  an  end  of 
fins,  and  to  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and   to 
bring   in  everlafting  righteoufnefs,  and   to   feal  up 
the   vifion,  and  prophecy,    and  to   anoint  the  Mofi 
Holy,  f  '    Now   this   title,  the  Moft   Holy^    is   not 

afcribed 

*  Rer,  zv.  4.  t  Daniel  Ix,  24. 


afcribed  to  Chrift,  in  a  relative  or  comparative  fenfe^ 
to  fignify  that  he  was  more  holy  than  any  other  man ; 
or  upon  a  comparifon,   the  moft  holy  of  all    men; 
this  would  be  too  low  a  charader  for  the  blefled  Je- 
fus,    the  Lamb    of  God,  who   was   holy,    harmlefs, 
un defiled  and  feparate   from  fmners.     To  fay  in    a 
relative  or  comparative  fenfe,  that  Jefus  furpalTed  in 
holinefs,  the  holieft  faint  that  ever  lived,  is  only  to 
'fay  that  Jefus    was   more   holy   than  fmful  dufl  and 
afhes;    far  be  it  from  us    to  fay  that   this   was  the 
meaning  of  the   infpired   Prophet.       If   then   thefe 
words,  the  moil  holy,  cannot  be   taken  in  the  com- 
parative fenfe  above-inentioned  ;   if  to  fay  that  Je- 
fus was  the  moft  holy   of  all  men,  ufmg  the  fuper- 
lative  degree  of  comparifon,  is  not  fufficient  to  ex- 
prefs  his   fmlefs   and    untainted   holinefs    as    man ; 
then  they  muft  be  underftood  in  an  abfolute  or  pofi- 
tive   fenfe,    to  fignify  his  perfed  holineis   as  man, 
without  any  relative  view   to    the  holinefs   of  other 
men.*     But  in   this  fenfe  they  cannot  be  ufed  ;  be- 
caufe,  in  this  fenfe,    they  are  too  high   to    exprefs 
the  perfed  holinefs  of  Jefus  as   man,  as  in  the  former 
fenfe  they  are   too  low  and  infufficient ;  for   the    ho- 
linefs of  which  human  nature  in  its  perfection   is  ca- 
pable, cannot  entitle  a  man  to  the  glorious  charader 
of,  the  moft  holy.     The  Divine  nature  alone  is  moft 
holy  ;    the  holinefs  of  this   nature  is   eternal,    un- 
derived,  infinite. 

In 

-*  If  Jefus  is  no  more  than  a  man. 


^    33     ^ 

In  the  temple  of  God,  there  was  an  holy  place 
where  the  tribes  of  Ifrael  worfhipped,  and  ciFercd 
their  facrifices  :  and  there  was  another  place,  called 
the  Moft  Holy  ;  here,  the  facred  memorials  of  God's 
fpecial  favour  and  love  to  his  people,  were  depofitcd 
and  preferved  ;  in  this  moll  holy  place  was  the 
mercy  feat,  and  above  this  feat,  between  the  fpread- 
ing  wings  of  the  Cherubim,  there  was  a  vifible 
appearance  of  the  glory  of  God,  a  fymbol  of  the 
fpecial  prefence  of  the  Holy  One  df  Ifrael,  in  his 
holy  place.  One  would  think  that  there  could  not 
be  a  more  glorious  Temple  than  that  which  was 
built  by  king  Solomon,  at  an  immenfe  expenfe, 
ornamented  and  furnifhed  with  more  than  royal 
magnificence  ;  and  above  all  dedicated  to  the  living 
and  true  God,  whofe  glory  at  the  dedication,  filled 
the  houfe.  Could  any  temple  be  more  glorious 
than  this,  in  which  the  glory  of  God  appeared,  and 
which  he  hallowed  unto  himfelf  ;  to  put,  fays  he,  m^' 
name  there  for  every  and  mine  eyes  aiid  mine  heart 
fhall  he  there  perpetually  P  Yes,  after  this  Temple 
was  deftroyed  as  God  declared  it  fhould  be,  in 
cafe  of  IraePs  apoftacy,  I  fay  after  the  deflrudlion 
of  this  houfe,  God  promifed  to  make  the  glory  of 
the  latter  houfe,  greater  than  the  glory  of  the  for- 
mer ;  and  he  performed  his  promife.  Thus  faith  the 
Lord  of  Hoffs,  yet  once,  it  is  a  little  -while ,  and  I 
li^lll  fiyake  the  Heavens  and  the  Earth,  arJ  the  Sea  a'^^d 

the 
F 


^     34    ^ 

the  dry  land ;  and  I  will  Jkake  all  nation f,  and  the 
dejlreof  all  nations  f!:all  come,  and  I  will  Jill  this  houfe 
•with  glory,  faith  Lord  of  Bojis*  The  glory  of  th^^ 
latter  houfe  fhall  he  greater  than  of  the  former y  faith 
the  Lord  of  HoJIs  ;  and  in  this  place  will  I  give  pf^ ace, 
faith  the  Lord  of  Hofts.'^  And  again,  faith  the  Lord, 
by  the  Prophet  Malachi,  the  Lord  whom  ye  feeky 
fhall  fuddenly  come  to  his  Temple,  even  the  meffen« 
ger  of  the  covenant  whom  ye  delight  in*  All  thefe 
things  have  been  accompliihed,  according  to  the 
word  of  the  Lord  ;  the  Lord  did  terribly  fhake  the 
Earih  ;  and  when  he  had  turned  wars  into  peace, 
the  Prince  of  Peace  was  born  :  The  defire  of  all 
nations  came  in  the  fulnefs  of  time  ;  the  Lord,  the 
Angel  of  the  Covenant,  whofe  coming  was  anx- 
ioufly  expeded,  more  efpecially  by  thofe  that  were 
looking  for  the  falvation  of  God,  came  fuddenly  td 
his  Temple,  and  there  preached  the  glad  tidings  of 
the  Gofpel,  proclaimed  his  peace,  and  gave  unto 
his  difciples  that  peace  which  the  world  could  not 
give.  The  prefcnce  of  the  MelTiah  was  the  glory  of 
the  latter  houfe  ;  and  the  glory  of  the  latter  houfe 
was  greater  than  the  glory  of  the  former.  And  why 
v/as  it  greater  ?  Becaule  the  glory  of  the  former 
houfe,  was  only  a  luminous  fymbol  of  the  fpecial 
prefence  of  the  Holy  One  of  lirael  ;  but  in  the  lat- 
ter houfe,    tiie  glory  of  the  Holy  One  was  feen  in 

the 


*  Haggai  11.  5,  9. 


^     35    «C 

the  perfon  of  the  great  Immanuel,  which  is, 
being  interpreted,  God  zvUh  us»  In  the  latter  houfc 
God  appeared  nianifeft:  in  the  flefh  ;  Codwas  mar.U 
fejl  in  the  fle/Jj,  fays  the  Apoftle  ;  and,  fays  the 
Evangelifts^  tkezuord  was  made  fle/Jjj  and  dwelt  among 
us,  and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  ds  of  the  only 
begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth. 

It  would  not  be  difficult  to  fuew,  were  it   wtce^- 
fary  at  prefent,    that  he  who  manifefled  himfelf  to 
the  Church  in  the  wildernefs,  ard  chofe  a  dwelJInnr- 
place  in   the   fanduary   of  the  Tabernacle,    and  af- 
terwards in  the  holy   place    of    Solomon's  Temple, 
was  the  Son  of  God  ;  even  the  fame   perfon   who  is 
called    the   Angel   of  the   Covenant,   and  who   ap- 
peared incarnate  in  the  latter  Temple.     But  upon 
the  fuppofition  that  it  was  the  Father  who  appeared, 
in  a   bright  fymbol   of  his  fpecial  or  extraordinary 
prefence,  between  the  wings  of  the  Cherubim  in  the 
fanduary  of  the  tabernacle,  and  of  Solomon's  tem- 
ple ;  and  that  it  was  the   Son  who  appeared  in   the 
latter  temple,  and  not   in  the  fornjer  ;    yet  it  mufl; 
follow  as  a  juft  conclufion,  that  the  holinefs  of   the 
Son  is  not  interior  to  the  hoUiiefs  of  the  Father  ;  be- 
caufe,  the  prefence    of  the   Son  of  God,  could  not 
have  made  the  glory  of  the  latter  houfe  greater  than 
the  glory  of  the  former,  if  his  holinefs  was  inferior 
to  the  holinefs  of  Him  who  was  the  glory  of  the  for- 
lier  houfe. 

The 


The  evangelical  Prophet  faw  in  a  vifion,  the 
glory  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  he  heard  the  Sera- 
phim  afcribing  to  him  the  Divine  attribute  of  holinefs* 
The  words  of  the  Prophet  are  worthy  of  our  moft 
lerious  confideration  ;  I  f^w,  fays  Ifaiah,  the  Lord 
fitting  upon  a  throne  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his 
train  iilled  the  Temple.  Above  it  iiood  the  Sera- 
phim^ each  one  had  fix  wings,  with  twain  he  cover- 
ed his  face,  and  with  twain  he  covered  his  feet,  and 
with  twain  he  did  fly.  And  one  cried  unto  another 
md  Jaid,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  is  the  Lord  of  Hofts, 
the  ivhde  earth  is  full  of  his  glory  ^  And  the  pofts  of 
the  door  moiled  at  the  voice  of  him  that  cried,  and  the 
houfe  was  filed  with  fmake<  Then  /aid  I,  zioe  is  me 
for  I  am  undojie,  hecaufe  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips ', 
far  mine  eyes  have  feen  the  King,  the  Lord  of  Hojfls,"^ 
This  glory  which  Ifaiah  faw,  was  the  glory  of  the 
Son,  he  is  called  the  Lord  of  Hofls^  in  his  prefence  the 
Seraphim  cover  their  faces  with  their  wings,  and 
unto  him  they  afcribe  the  glory  of  his  holinefs,  fay- 
ing, Holy,  Hoiy»  Holy,  is  the  Lord  of  Hoils,  the 
\vhole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory.  That  thefe  words 
relate  to  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  the  Prophet  faw 
iiis  glory,  is  afferted  by  the  Evangelift  John,  who 
could  not  miftake  the  Prophet's  meaning,  nor  mifap- 
'^\y  his  words ;  Thefe  things,  faid  Efaias.,  -vjhen  he  T^w 
hij  glory  and  fpake  of  himf* 

*  Ifaiah  vi.  i,  5.         John  xii.  41.. 


^   37   'm 

We  roay  now  proceed  to  Ihe.w,  that  the  divine  at- 
tributes, Juftice,  Mercy,  Truth,  and  Faithfulnefs,  are 
afcribed  to  Jefus  Chrift  the  Son  of  God.  Thefe  at- 
tributes are  afcribed  to  him  in  the  higheft  fenfe  of  the 
v/ords,  in  the  fame  ftile  and  language  that  the  in- 
spired writers  ufe  to  exprefs  thefe  attributes  and  per- 
fections of  the  living  and  true  God.  The  Pfalmift, 
finging  the  high  praifes  of  his  God,  ufes  thefe  remark- 
able words  ;  Juftice  and  Judgment  are  the  habitation 
9fthy  throne,  mercy  accompanied  with  truth  /hail  go 
before  thy  face*  This  is  a  very  fublime  and  beautiful 
pafTage  ;  Juftice  and  Judgment  are  reprefented  as  a 
facred  temple  where  the  chrone  of  God  is  fixed  upon 
immovable  foundations ;  and  where,  God  who  is  in- 
finitely righteous  delights  to  dwell.  And  words  of 
the  fame  import,  and  exprelTive  of  equal  dignify, 
are  addrefled  to  the  Son;  thus,  for  inftance,  Thy 
throne,  0  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever,  afceptre  of  righ- 
teoufnefs  is  the  fceptre  of  thy  kingdom.  And,  fays  the 
Prophet,,  with  right  e  oufnefs  fh  all  he  judge  the  poor,  and 
reprove  with  equity,  for  the  meek  of  the  earth;  and 
he  fhall  fmite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of  his  mouth,  and 
with  the  breath  of  his  lips  fhall  he  flay  the  wicked. 
And  righteoufnefs  fhall  be  the  girdle  of  his  loins,  and 
faithfulnefs  the  girdle  of  his  reins  *.  Jefus  is  called 
the  Juf}  one,  the  fun  of  righteoufnefs,  and  evcrlafting 
righteoufnefs,  Jefus  is  the  judge  of  all  the  earth ; 
and  fhall  not  the  judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  > 

Muft 

*  Ifaiah  xi.  5,  6, 


»    3^    c^ 

Mnft  not  his  juftice  be  infinite?  The  judge  of  an- 
^eh  and  men,  the  judge  of  the  quick  and  of  the 
dead,  the  hcart-fearching  judge,  who  muft  be  om- 
rsifcient  becaufe  he  is  the  fecrcher  of  hearts  ;  muft 
be  inlinitely  juft,  to  give  unto  every  one  according 
to  his  ways.  Jefus  is  called,  The  Lord,  the  righteous 
Judg€ ;  and  before  his  tribunal  we  muft  all  appear  ; 
We/Ijall  all  ft  and  before  the  judgment  feat  of  Chr'tfl ; 
for  as  it  is  written^  faith  the  Lord,  every  knee  fhall 
bow  to  me,  and  every  tongue  fhall  confefs  to  God-  So 
ihejt  every  one  of  us  fhall  give  an  account  of  himf elf  to 
God'^*  Here,  the  Judge  before  whofe  judgment  ieat 
we  fhall  all  ftand,  is  called  God  ;  and  on  the  great 
and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord,  his  righteoufnefs  fhall 
be  acknowledged  to  be  infinite,  both  by  his  faints 
and  his  enemies  :  Elements  melting  with  fervent 
heat  !  the  Heavens  rolling  together  as  a  fcroll  !  An- 
gels applauding  I  Saints  Triumphant  !  Ihall  declare 
the  righteoufnefs  of  the  Almighty,  all-wife,  and  in- 
finitely righteous  Judge. 

As  our  God  is  juft  and  righteous,  fo  alfp  is  he 
merciful ;  his  mercy  is  infinite ;  his  mercy  is  ever- 
iafting ;  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever  ;  his  mercy  is 
great  unto  the  Heavens.  Who  is  a  God  like  unto  thee 
that  fardr^neth  iniquity,  and  pajjeth  by  the  iranfgreffi- 
on  of  the  refnnant  of  his  heritage  ?  He  retaineth  not 
his  anger  for  ever,  jbecaufe  he  delighteth  in  mercy' 

Thus 

*Rom,  xlv,  II,  iz. 


^    39    '^ 

Thus  th^  mercy  of  God  is  illuftrioufiy  difplayed,  in 
the  forgivenefs  of  fins,  and  in  fendnig  his  own  Son 
to   be  the  propitiation  for  our  fins :  And  the  mercy 
of  Jefus  the  Son  of  God,  is  illuftrioufiy  manifeftcd 
by  his  redeeming  love,  and  his  pity  and  compafTion 
to  poor  finners.     If  Lot   faid  unto    God,    thou  hall 
magnified   thy  mercy  in  faving   my    life ;    how   has 
the  Son  of  God   magnified  his  mercy,  in  faving  our 
fouls  from    everlafting  death  !    How  has  he   magni- 
fied his  mercy,    in    his  divine    condefcenfion,  in  be- 
coming poor  for  our  fakes,  that  we  through  his  po- 
verty might  he   made  rich!     He  hath  glorified  his 
grace  in  dying  for  us,  the  juft  for  the  unjuft,  that  he 
might  bring  us   to   God.     View   the   mercy  of  the 
blefled  Jefus,  in  his  condefcenfion,  in  his  humiliation, 
in  his  life,  fufFerings,  agony  and  bitter  pafiion,  and 
confefs  that  the  love  of  Jefus  pafleth  knowledge,  is 
unfearchable  and  divine.     Jefus  is  praifed  in  heaven, 
for   his  mercy,  and  for  the  wonderful  works   of  his 
grace  ;  but  he  could  not  be   praifed  for  his  redeem- 
ing grace  and  love,  if  his  grace  and  love  are  not  di- 
vine  perfedlions,  that  is,  if  his  mercy   is    not   infi- 
nite ;  becaule,  he  only  whofe  mercy  is  infinite,  is  to 
be  adored  and  praifed  for  the  exercife  of  mercy.  Far- 
ther, the  mercy  .of  the  Redeemer  is  fpoken  of  as  di- 
vine   mercy,  even   the    mercy   of  God,    when   it  is 
faid  ;  for  a-  fmall  mojnent  have  1  forfaken  thee^  but 
ifjith  great  mercies  'will  I  gather  thee  ;  in  a  little  wrath 
I  hid  my  face  from  thee,  but  -with  evcrlaJJing   kind- 

r.eCs 


nefs  vjill  I  have   mercy   on   thee,  faith  the   Lord  ih^ 
j^edeemer.     This  everlafting  kindnefs,    with    which 
the  Redeemer  will  have  mercy  on  his  Church,  is  the 
Vm^ntk  of    that    God,    whofc  niercy   endureth   for 
ever.      The   Apoftle   Paol   fpeaks  of  the  mercy   of 
Chrifi:,  as   the   mercy   of  God,  wheti  he  fays,  /  ob- 
tatned  mercy  of  the  Lord  to  be  fmthful ;    and,    as  the 
mercy  of  that  God  who  is  long-fufFering   and   flow 
to   anger,  when   he   fays,    /  thank  Jefus  Chrifi   our 
Lord,  who  hath  enabled  me,  for  that   he  counted  me 
faithful  J  putting   me  Into  the   miniftry ;   -who  -was  bC' 
fore,  a  blafphetner,  and  a  psrfecutor,  and  Injurious  ;  hut 
1  obtained  mercy,     becaufe   I  did    it    ignorantly,    in 
unbelief      And    the  grace     of    our  Lord  Jefus    was 
exceeding    abundant,    with  faith,    and   love   which    is 
in    Chrifi    Jefus,       This    is    a  faithful   faying,     and 
ivorthy  of  all    acceptation,    that   Chrifi  Jefus    came 
into  the  world  to  fave  finners  ;    of  whom  I  am  chiefs 
Howbeit,  for  this   caufe  I  obtained  mercy,  that  in  me 
firfir    Jef^^   Chrifi    might  fJjew  forth   all   long-fuffer- 
ing,  for  a  pattern  to  them  which  fhould  hereafter  be- 
lieve on  him  to  life  everlafiing  *.     In  thefe  words,   the 
Apoftle  acknowledges  the  pardoning  mercy  of  Jefus  ; 
he  acknowledges   his    long-fufFering   patience  ;    he 
calls  it   all  long -fuffer ing ;   now,   that   mercy   which 
pardoneth  finners;   that  mercy  which    we   are  com- 
manded to  look  for  unto  eternal  lifc;\    that  mercy 
which    is    long-fuffering,    and   that     long  fuffecing 

which 


J4-   J5j  i^-         »)- Jude  2ift  vff. 


^     41     °C 

which   is   Salvation,  muft   be   infinite.       The    truth 
and  faithfulnefs    of    Jefus,     are   i'poken   of  in    the 
Scriptures,     in     the    moft    exalted    terms  ;     He    is 
the   truth    and  the   life;     the  true   Cod  and  eternal 
life ;  his  name  is  Faithful  and  True>     The  Difciples 
encouraged  each  other  by  the   truth   and  faithfulnefs 
of  Chrift,  they  believed  in  him,  and  trufted  in  him 
for  the  accomplilhment  of  his  promifes  ;   they  looked 
unto  him   for  promifed   prote6lion   and   dehverancc, 
and  they  confided  in  his  truth  and  faithfulnefs.     The 
Lord  is  faithful,  fays  the  Apoftle,  who  fhall  eftahlijlo 
you  and  keep  you  from  eviU     Chriftians  believe  in  Je- 
fus,   and    depend   upon   his    truth    and    fai^fulnefs, 
with  that  divine  faith  and  hope,  with  which  the  an- 
cient worthies  depended  upon  the  God  of  truth   and 
faithfulnefs;  nor  have  Chriltians  any  reafon  to   be 
afliamed  of  their  hope,  it  is  an  hope  that  maketh  not 
alhamed.     The  Apoftle  rejoiced  in  hope,    though  in 
bonds ;    his   chain  fat  light  upon   him,    becaufe   he 
could  fay,  for  the  hope   of  Ifrael   am   I  bound  with 
this  chain*     The   Pfalmift,  fpeaking    of   the   Son  of 
God,  pronounces  a  blefTing  upon  all  thofe  that  hope 
in  him.     It   is  unlawful  to  place   religious  hope  and 
confidence  in  onewhofe  truth  and  faithfulnefs  are  not 
divine,  that  is,  infinite.     It   is   our  duty  to  truft  in 
God,  and  to  hop'e  in  God,  and  in   none  but  him  ; 
in  thee,  O  Lord,  do  I   hope,  faith  the  Pfalmift,    and 
again,  thou  art  my  hope,   Oy  Lord  God,  thou  art  my 
i^nft  from  my  youth*     God  is  called  the  Cod  of  hope, 

G  and 


^0     4^     *^ 

and  Jefus  Chrift  is  called,  the  Hope  of  glory*  He  is 
Our  Hope,  and  we  are  faid  to  have  hope  in  him, 
not  with  regard  to  the  things  of  this  world  only, 
but  eminently,  with  regard  to  rhe  world  to  come, 
even  the  hope  of  eternal  life.  Beloved,  fays  the 
Apoftle,  now  are  we  the  fons  of  God^  and  it  doth  not 
yet  appear  what  we  Jhall  he  ;  hut  we  know  that  when 
he,  that  is,  God  the  Son,  Jhall  appear,  we  Jhall  be 
like  him,  for  we  JJjall  fee  him  as  he  is*  And  every 
one  that  hath  this  hope  in  him,  purifieth  himfelf,  even 
as  he  is  pure'  *  The  true  and  faithful  God  was  the 
hope  of  Ifrael,  and  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  hope  of  glory, 
and  our  hope  ;  is  he  not  therefore  the  true  and  faith- 
ful God  ?  Is  it  lawful  for  Chriflians  to  hope  in  Jefus, 
if  he  is  not  the  true  and  faithful  God  ? 

'  We  are  next  to  fliew  that  Jefus  Chrift  the  Son  of 
God,  is  called  Jehovah.  But  before  we  do  this,, 
it  may  be  ufeful  to  give  fome  account  of  this  name, 
and  its  fignification.  It  is  the  adorable  and  incom- 
municable name  of  the  living  and  true  God,  and  is 
never  afcribed  to  any  but  him.  It  is  an  elTential 
name,  a  name  of  eflence,  and  fignifies  the  Eternal, 
necefTary,  underived  exiftence  of  that  Being  who  is 
felf-exiftent  ;  and  which  is,  and  was,  and  is  to 
come.  The  name,  Jehovah,  fays  a  judicious 
critic,  f  *'  fets  out  God's  eternity,  in  that  it  con- 
tains  all  times,  future,  prefent,  and   paft;    ''  thus, 

fays 

*  I.  John  iii.  2,  4.  ']r  Leigh's  Critca  Sacra. 


^o     43     ^ 

fays  he,  ^'  this  title  given  to  Chrift,  which  is,  and 
which  was,  and  which  is  to  come,  is  an  exprefs  in- 
terpretation of  J  E  H  o  V  A  H.''  This  name  is  derived 
from  a  verb  which  fignifies  to  be,  and  denotes  the 
eternal  exiftence  of  that  God,  from  whom  all  other 
beings  have  received  their  exiftence,  and  in  whom 
we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being.  This  name 
is  of  the  fame  fignification  with  I  am,  and  I  am 
THAT  I  AM;  as  we  may  learn  from  what  God  faid 
to  Mofes,  when  he  fent  him  to  the  children  of  If'rael 
in  Egypt.  On  this  occalion  the  Lord  proclaimed 
his  great  and  glorious  name  ;  and  God  faid  unto  Mo' 
Jes,  I  AM  THAT  I  AM  ;  and  he  /aid,  thus  Jlmlt  thou 
fay  unto  the  children  of  Ifrael,  I  AM  hath  fent  me 
unto  you*  And  God  faid  moreover  unto  Mofes,  thus 
/halt  thou  fay  unto  the  children  of  Ifrael,  the  Lord 
God  of  your  fathers  (the  word  here  tranflated  Lord, 
is  Jehovah)  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Ifaacy 
and  the  God  of  Jacob  hath  fent  me  unto  you  ;  this  is 
my  name  for  ever,  and  this  is  ray  memorial  unto  all 
generations,  *  To  fhew  that  this  name  is  peculiar 
to  God,  that  it  is  his  name,  and  that  it  is  incom- 
municable ;  we  fliall  quote  tv/o  paifages  of  Scrip- 
ture which  are  clear  and  decifive  :  /  am  the  Lord, 
that  is  my  name,  and  my  glory  will  I  not  give  unto  ano- 
ther, neither  my  praife  unto  graven  Images*  f  The 
word,    Lord,    is  in  the   original,    Jehovah.      And 

fa^s 

*  Exod.  iii.    14,    i^,  t  Ifaiah  xlii,   8, 


^    44    <^ 

fays  the  Pfalmift,  Thm  whofe  name  alone  is  Jekovah, 
art  the  moft  high  over  all  the  earth*  * 

Now  to  fhew  that  Jefus  Chrift  the  fon  of  God, 
is  called  by  this  divine,  adorable,  and  incommuni- 
cable name  of  God ;  it  will  be  fufficient  to  quote  a 
few  texts  of  fcripture,  fuch  as  moft  clearly  and  di- 
rectly prove  the  point  in  queftion.  We  fhall  firft 
confider  that  remarkable  prophecy  of  Ifaiah,  re- 
fpecling  John  the  Baptil'l,  the  fore-runner  of  the 
MefTiah,  and  the  perfon  who  prepared  his  way  be- 
fore him.  The  Prophet  calls  the  Baptift,  the  voices 
of  him  that  crieth  in  the  wildernefs,  prepare  ye  the 
ixjay  of  the  Lord,  Jehovah,  make  Jlraight  in  the  dc' 
ferti  a  way  for  our  Cod*  There  can  be  no  doubt 
in  this  matter ;  for  John  the  Baptift  is  conftantly 
fpoken  of  in  the  Gofpels,  as  this  voice,  and  as  the 
fore-runner  of  the  Meffiah.  John  confelTed  that  he 
v/as  not  the  Meffiah ;  nor  that  light,  nor  that  Pro- 
phet; he  knew  his  office  and  his  place,  and  fpoke 
of  himfelf  and  his  baptifm,  as  nothing  in  comparifon 
of  Chrift  and  his  baptifm  :  /  indeed,  fays  John,  bap' 
tize  you  with  water,  unto  repentance,  but  he  that  co- 
meth  after  me  is  mightier  than  I,  ivhofefhoes  I  am  not 
'worthy  to  bear ;  he  /hall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghofi 
and  with  fire*  Whofe  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  will 
throughly  purge  his  floor,  and  gather  his  wheat  info 
his  garner  ;   but  he  will  burn  the  chaff  with  unquench^ 

able 

♦  Ixxxiii.  Pfaim. 


^    45    ^ 

able  fire*  *     Let  us  hear  John's  record  ar.d  confefTi- 
on,  and  this  is    the  record  of  John,  when  the  Jews 
fent  priefts  and  Le vices  from  Jerufalem   to  aik  him, 
who  art  thou  i  and  he   cjnfeffed  and  denied  not,   but 
confejjedj   I  am  not  the  Chrift*     And  after   anfwering 
feveral  queftions  in  the  negative,  he  told  them  who 
he  was,  he  fatd  I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wiU 
dernefSf  make  ftraight   the  way  of  the  Lord,  as  /aid 
■the prophet  Ejaias.  f     Let    us    alfo  hear  what  Zach- 
arias  faid   of  his  fon  when   he  was  born  ;  thou  chiid, 
/halt    be   called  the  prophet   of  the   Highefi,  for  thou 
/halt  gn  before  the  face  of  the  Lord  to  prepare  his  ways. 
And  fays  the  Evangelifl,  the  fame  came  for  a  witnefs 
to  bear  vjitne/s  of  the  light,  that  all  men  through   him 
might  believe*     The  only  thing  here  necefTary  to  be 
afcertained,  is,  that  John   the  Baptift  prepared    the 
way  of  Ciirift,  as   his  fore-runner ;  and   this  is  fuffi- 
ciently   done  by   what   has  been   faid,  and  by    the 
Evangehft  Mark,  at   the   beginning  of  his  Gofpel, 
where   fpeaking  of  the   Baptift,    he   fays,    as  it  is 
written   in  the  Prophets,  behold  I  fend  my  me/fenger 
before   thy  faee,  which  fhall  prepare   thy  way   before 
thee*     The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wildernefs,  pre- 
pare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths  ftraight* 

Again,  the  prophet  Jeremiah  calls  the  Son  of  God, 
Jehovah,  in  the  following  words :  Behold  the  days 
come,  faith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  raife  unto  David 

a  righteous 

♦  Matth*  iii.  ii,  12-    ^        t  John  i.  23. 


^     4^    °^ 

a  righteous  l^ranch  ;  and  a  King  Ihall  reign  and 
profper,  and  fliall  execute  judgment  and  juftice  in 
the  earth.  In  his  days  Judah  iliall  be  faved,  and 
Ifrael  ihall  dwell  fafely ;  and  this  is  his  name, 
whereby  he  fhall  be  called,  The  Lord  our 
Righteousness;  that  is,  Jehovah  our  Righ- 
teousness.* Another  Prophet,  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  fame  fpirit,  calls  the  Saviour, 
Jehovah,  in  thefe  words ;  furely  JJmll  one  fay,  in 
the  Lord,  that  is,  Jehovah,  have  I  righteoufnefs 
andjhength  ;  even  to  him  Jh all  men  come,  and  all  that 
are  incenfed  againfl  him,  Jhall  he  ajhamed :  In  the 
Lord  /hall  all  the  feed  of  Ifrael  he  juflified  and  fhall 
glory.  It  is  very  evident  that  thefe  prophecies  re- 
late to  the  MefTiah ;  he  is  our  righteoufnefs,  it  is 
he  "who  of  God  is  made  unto  us,  imfdom,  and  righteouf- 
nefs, and  fan^ificatiQn,  and  redemption ;  that  ac- 
cording as  it  is  written,  he  that  glorieth,  let  him  glory 
in  the  Lord*  f  It  is  by  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  that 
we  are  juftified,  for,  fays  the  Apoflle,  be  it  known 
unto  you  therefore,  men  and  brethren,  that  through 
this  man,  is  preached  unto  you  the  forgivenefs  of  fms  ; 
and  by  him,  all  that  believe  are  juflified  from  all  things, 
from  which  ye  could  not  be  jufiified  by  the  law  of 
Mofes*  Beware  therefore,  left  that  come  upon  you 
which  is  fpoken  of  in  the  prophets,  behold  ye  defpifers. 
And  wonder,  and  perifh  ;   for  I  work  a  work  in  your 

days^ 

*  Jer.  xxiii,  5,  6.  \  Cor.  i.  30,  31. 


»>     47     c^ 

^aySy  a  work  which  you  /hall  in  no  wife  believe, 
though  a  man  declare  it  unto  you*  *  In  that  re- 
markable palTage  of  Ifaiah's  prophecy,  formerly 
quoted,  and  which  the  Evangelift  applies  to  the 
Son  of  God,  he  is  called  Jehovah  Tsebaoth; 
Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  is  the  Lord  of  Hojls,  the  whole 
earth  is  full  of  his  glory »  Wo  is  me,  faid  the  Prophet, 
for  I  am  undone,  becaufe  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips, 
for  mine  eyes  have  feen  the  King,  the  Lord  of  He/is, 

There  is  another  prediflion  of  the  fame  Prophet, 
which  evidently  relates  to  the  Meffiah,  and  in  which 
he  is  called  Jehovah  ;  the  words  are  thefe  ;  fan<5ii' 
fy  the  Lord  of  Hofts  himfelf,  and  let  him  he  your  fear, 
and  let  him  he  your  dread ;  and  he  fhall  be  for  a 
fan6luary  ;  hut  for  aflone  of  Jlumbling,  and  for  a  rock 
of  offence  to  both  houfes  of  Ifrael,  for  a  gin  and  a  fnare 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerufalem*  Jndmany  among  them 
Jhall /tumble  and  fall  and  be  broken,  and  be  fnared  and 
taken*  f  How  exadly  was  this  predidion  fulfilled  ; 
at  the  coming  of  the  MefTiah  !  He  was  a  fancluary  to 
them  that  fandlified  him  in  their  hearts  ;  he  was  a 
city  of  refuge  to  all  that  believed  in  him ;  but  he 
was  a  ftone  of  {tumbling  and  a  rock  of  offence  to  the 
unbelieving  Jews  ;  and  in  their  miferable  deftruclion, 
was  the  latter  part  of  this  prophecy  moft  awfully  ac- 
complilhed.  I  iliall  conclude  this  head  of  difcourfe 
with  one  quotation  more;    the  prophet  Zechariah, 

after 

*  Acts  xili.  38,  40.  t  Ifaiah  viii.   13,   14. 


^     4^     ^C 

after  having  denounced  the  judgments  of  God,  upon 
the  inhabitants  of  the  land  of  Judea,  mentions  the 
very  price  for  which  the  MeiTiah  fhould  be  fold  and 
betrayed  :  But  he  that  was  fold  and  betrayed  into 
the  hands  of  Hiiners,  is  that  very  Lord  who  fpake  by 
the  mouth  of  his  Prophet,  faying,  if  ye  think  goody 
give  me  my  -price  ;  and  if  not  ^  forbear  :  fo  they  weigh' 
ed  for  my  price  thirty  pieces  of  fdver^  And  the  Lord, 
Jehovah,  faid  unto  me,  cafl  it  unto  the  potter ^  a 
goodly  price  that  I  was  prifed  at  of  them*  * 

We  prefume  it  has  been  proved,  that  the  Lord 
Jefus  Chrift,  is  called  by  the  divine,  and  incommu- 
r.icable  name,  Jehovah,  this  is  the  name  of  God, 
his  name  alone  is  Jehovah  ;  the  Lord  he  is  Cod, 
there  is  none  elfe»  Who  is  God  fave  the  Lord?  Hear 
0,  Ifrael,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord*  That  the 
Father  is  Jehovah,  will  not  be  denied  ;  that  the 
Son  is  Jehovah,  has  been  proved  ;  and  that  the  Ho- 
ly Ghoft  is  Jehovah,  can  be  proved  by  the  fame 
kind  of  arguments,  namely,  exprefs  declarations 
of  the  holy  Scriptures  :  f  Thefe  Three,  therefore, 
are  one  Jehovah,  one,  in  a  divine  and  incompre- 
henfible  unity  of  an  incomprehenfible  elTence. 

We 

f:-  Zach.  xi,   12,   13. 

^  That  the  Holy  Ghoft  is  J  e  h  o  v  A  h,  is  plain  from  a 
pafTage  in  the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel,  where  the  Prophet  fays, 
the  Spirit  lifted  me  up  and  took  me  away,  and  I  went  in  bitter- 

ncfs 


^     49    c^ 

We  come  now  to  the  third  and  lad  head  of  this  dif. 
courfe ;  and  iliall  conclude  this  Sermon  with  fome 
quotations  of  Scripture,  in  which,  Jefus  Chrift  is 
exprefsly  called  God. 

Let  us  then  begin  with  the  words  of  the  evange- 
lical Prophet^  whd,  fpeaking  of  the  MefTiah,  exprelTes 
himfelf  in  the  following  words  ;  behold^  your  God 
will  come  vAth  verigeancCf  even  God  with  a  recompencc, 
he  will  come  and  fave  you-  But  fome  might  afk, 
when  will  our  God  come?  we  have  been  long 
looking    for   his   appearance,    and    waiting    for    his 

falvation ; 


jiefs  in  the  heat  of  my  fpirit  ;  but  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  In 
the  original,  Jehovah,  was  ftrong  upon  me.  The  Holy 
Ghofl  is  called  the  Eternal  Spirit^  the  Oraniprcfent  Spirit  ; 
where  fhall  I  go  from  thy  fpirit  ?  or  whither  fhall  I  fly  frovi 
thy  prefence  T  The  Spirit  fearcheth  all  things  ;  yea  the  deep 
things  of  God.  He  is  the  Spirit  of  wifdom.  He  is  the  Cre- 
ator, for  Job  fays,  th^  Spirit  of  God  hath  made  vie;  and 
again,  it  is  written.  Thou  fendefl  forth  thy  fpirit  and  they 
are  created.  The  Holy  Ghofl  is  called  God,  for  fays  the 
Apoftle  to  Ananias,  why  hath  Satan  filled  thine  heart  to  lie 
unto  the  Holy  Ghofl  ?  thou  hafl  not  lied  unto  man^  but  untu 
God.  And  again,  how  is  it  that  ye  have  agreed  together  to 
tempt  the  fpirit  of  the' Lord?  There  is  a  fni,  more  immedi- 
ately committed  againft  this  Holy  one,  which  ii  called  the 
unpardonable  fin  ;  whofoever  fpeaketh  againfl  the  Holy  Qhojl^ 
it  fiall  not  he  forgiven  him^  neither  in  this  world,  nor  in  that 
which  is  to  come.  I  have  juft  mentioned  thefe  particulars, 
rcfpecting  the  divinity  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  and  refer  the 
reader    to  the  Holy  Scriptures  for  further  information. 

H 


^    5°    °€ 

ialvation  ;  when  will  he  come  to  avenge  and  fave 
his  people?  The  Prophet  indeed  does  not  tell  the 
precife  time,  but  he  fliews  the  figns  of  his  coming  ; 
and  he  gives  certain  tokens  whereby  the  people 
might  know  their  God,  when  he  ihould  come  :  And 
thefe,  fays  the  Prophet,  are  the  figns  of  his  coming, 
the  eyes  of  the  blind  fiall  be  opened,  and  the  cars  of 
the  deaf  Jhfill  be  unjlopped,  then  fhall  the  lame  msn 
leap  *as  an  Hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb  fing. 
Tor  in  the  -wildernefs  fhall  waters  break  out,  and 
flreams  in  the  defert.  *  Thefe  predictions  were 
accomplifhcd  when  the  Meffiah  came,  and  entered 
upon  his  public  miniftry  ;  he  opened  the  eyes  of  the 
blind,  unftopped  the  ears  of  the  deaf,  made  the 
lame  to  walk,  and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb  to  fing  ; 
Jefus  applied  this  prophecy  to  himfelf,  and  appeal- 
ed to  thefe  ligns,  even  his  own  wonderful  works, 
as  infallible  evidences  that  he  was  the  true  Mefliah. 
When  John  the  Baptift  fent  two  of  his  difciples  unto 
Jefus,  with  this  queftion,  art  thou  he  that  fliould 
come,  or  do  we  look  for  another  ?  our  Lord  anfu^er- 
ed,  by  applying  the  wprds  of  the  Prophet  to  him- 
felf, and  /hewing  that  in  him  they  were, fulfilled  ; 
go,  fays  he,  and  Jhew  John  again  thofe  things  which 
ye  do  hear  and  fee  ,\  the  blind  receive  their  fight,  and  the 
lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  clean  fed  and  the  deaf  hear,  the 
dead  are  raifed  up,  and  the  poor  have  the  Gifpel preach* 

ed 

iit  Ifalah  xxxr.   4,  5,  <?. 


»    51 

ed  unto  thfrn,  and  bleffed  is   he  whofocvcr  JJoall  not   he 
offended  in  me*  * 

The  prophet  Ifaiah,  calls  Jefus  the  mighty  God  ; 
and  one  would  think  that  this  is  fofncient  to  prove 
the  Divinity  of  Jefus  Chrifi. ;  if  he  is  the  mighty  God, 
then  furely  he  is  really  and  truly  God.  It  has  been 
proved,  in  a  former  difcourfe,  that  he  is  Almighty, 
the  Creator  of  all  things,  and  able  even  to  fubdue 
all  things  tohimfelf ;  is  it  not,  therefore,  irrational  to 
fay  that  Jefus  is  God,  but  not  equal  to  the  Almigh- 
ty Creator  of  all  things?  Is  it  not  abfurd  to  fay  that 
he  is  God,  and  yet  to  deny  that  he  is  all-perfect? 
In  God  there  is  not,  there  cannot  be  any  imperfecr 
tion  ;  there  is  not  a  fuperior  and  an  inferior  God. 

When  Jefus  is  called  Immanuel,  he  is  called  God, 
even  God  with  us;  the  Word  was  made  flefli  and 
dwelt  among  us ;  and  we  know  that  he  who  is  call- 
ed the  Word,  is  the  Son  of  God.  This  is  he  who 
took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  fervant ;  this  is  he  that 
took  on  him  the  feed  of  Abraham  ;  this  is  he  that 
defcended  from  the  Fathers  of  the  Jewifli  nation,  as 
concerning  the  flefli,  u'/;9  is  6ver  all  God  bleffed  for 
ever.  In  Jefus  .  dwclleth  all  the  fulnefs  of  the  God" 
head  bodily;  the' beloved  Difciple  calls  him  the  true 
God  and  eternal  life ;  and,  the  Apofllc  Paul, 
fpeaking  of  the  Incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God,  fays, 

and 

*  Matthew  xi.  4,  6. 


»    52    c^ 

.^iid  without  controverfy,  great  is  the  myftery  of 
C/odlir.efs ;  Cod  was  manifefi  in  the  fle/h.  The 
Apoftle,  exhorting  the  Elders  of  the  Church  at 
Ephefus,  ofes  thefe  emphatical  words,  feed  the 
Church  of  God,  which  he  hath  pnrchafed  with  his 
own  blood:  But  thefe  words  mufl  be  fomething 
more  than  myfterious,  if  he  who  fhed  his  blood  for 
the  redemption  of  his  , Church,  was  not  God  and 
man  in  one  perfon  ;  but  of  this  more  hereafter. 
Again,  Chriftians  are  exhorted  to  adorn  the  dodrine 
of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things  ;  for  the  grace  of 
God  that  bringeth  falvation  hath  appeared  unto  all 
men,  teaching  us,  that  denying  ungodlinefs  and 
worldly  lufVs,  we  fhould  live  foberly,  righteoufly, 
and  godly  in  this  prefent  world  ;  Looking  for  that 
bleffed  hope,  and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God, 
and  our  Saviour  Jefus  Chrijl ;  *  who  gave  himfelf  for 
us,  that  he  might  redeem  Us  from  all  iniquity,  and 
purify  unto  him/elf  a  peculiar  people  zealous  of  good 
works.  Here,  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  is  called  God, 
yea,  the  great  God  and  Saviour,  as  will  clearly 
appear  from  the  following  confiderations.  Firft, 
the  conftruftion  of  the  words  in  the  original,  fliews 
us,  that  the  Apoftle  fpeaks  only  of  one  perfon, 
namely,  the  Redeemer  who  gave  himfelf  for  us,  who 
is  afcended  up  into  Heaven,  and  who  will  appear 
the  fecond  time,  without  fm  unto  falvation ;  and 
whofe     glorious     appearing,     Chriftians     look     for 

with 

*  Titus  ii.   TQ. 


»^    53    <^ 

with  hope  and  expe(5lation.  The  word,  s'ai(p<x*EiJij 
which  is  tranflated,  appearing,  in  all  other  paflages 
where  it  occurs,  relates  lo  Jefus  Chrifl ;  once,  it 
relates  to  his  firfl  coming,  in  every  other  inftance, 
it  relates  to  his  fecond  coming,  when  he  ihall  appear 
in  a  very  glorious  manner,  to  judge  the  world  in 
righteoufnefs.  He  faall  come,  and  fliall  be  feen 
coming  in  the  clouds  of  Heaven,  with  power  and 
great  glory  :  Behold  he  comet h  ivith  clouddj  and 
every  eye  Jhall  fee  him,  and  they  alfo  which  pierced 
him*  And  if  this  is  the  fenfe  in  which  the  word  is 
ufed,  except  where  it  relates  to  the  firfl  coming  of 
Chrifl,  why  fhould  we  not  underfland  it  in  this  fenfe 
here  ?  Chrift  fliall  come  in  his  own  glory,  and  in 
his  Father's,  and  of  the  Holy  Angels  ;  and  let  this 
glory  be  what  it  may,  it  is  plain  that  it  is  the  Son, 
and  not  the  Father,  who  fhall  come,  appear,  and 
be  feen  by  every  eye.  But  a  literal  tranflation  of  the 
whole  text,  will  fet  the  matter  in  a  clear  light  ; 
and  the  following  tranflation  is  not  only  literal,  but 
the  exad  order  of  the  words  in  the  original  is 
preferved,  viz.  ^^ Looking  for  tlie  blefTed  hope,  and 
the  illuf]:rious  appearing  of  the  glory  of  the  great 
God  and  Saviour  of  us,  Jefus  Chrift."  The 
words  may  be  tranllated  with  a  fufficient  degree  of 
literal  cxadnefs',  and  more  conformable  to  the  idiom 
of  our  language,  as  follows  :  *^  Locking  for  the 
blelTed  hope,   and  the  illuftrious  appearance  of  the 

glory 


glory  of  our  great  God  and  Saviour  Jefus  Chrift*'/ 
Some  are  of  opinion  that  the  word,  andj  fhould  be 
taken  exegetically,  and  tranflated,  even,  fo  that 
the  text  would  be  read  thus,  *'  Looking  for  that 
blefTed  hope  and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great 
God,  even,  our  Saviour  Jefus  Chrift.''  But  the 
fccond  tranflation  which  I  have  offered,  is,  fufRcient 
to  prove  our  point  ;  and  for  the  juftnefs  of  it,  I 
appeal  to  the  marginal  tranflation  of  the  firfi:  verfe 
of  the  fecond  epiftle  of  Peter  ;  the  words  are,  Simon 
Peter,  a  fervant  and  an  Apoftle  of  Jefus  Chrift,  to 
them  that  have  obtained  like  precious  faith  with 
us,  through  the  right eoufnefs  *  9f  God,  and  our 
Saviour  Jejus  Chr'ijl  :  This  latter  claufe  fiiould  be 
tranflated,  "through  the  righteoufnefs  of  our  God 
and  Saviour  Jefus  Chrifl:;''  which  our  excellent 
tranflators  have  accordingly  done  in  the  margin. 
Now  this  paflage,  and  that  in  the  epiflle  to  Titus, 
are  of  the  fame  grammatical  conftrudtion,  except, 
the  order  of  one  word,  '^!fj,ijv,  that  is  our  fliould  be 
confidered  as  making  a  difference  of  grammatical 
confirudion,  which  I  think  it  cannot  ;  but  if  it 
makes  any  difference,  it  appears  to  be  in  favour 
of  our  doflrine.  I  think  it  unneceffary  to  fhew 
the  juft:nefs  of  the  marginal  tranflation,  of  the 
firft  vcrfe  of  the  fecond  epiftle  of  Peter,   it   is  only 

a  matter 

*  Through  the  Righteoufnefs^  would  be  better  tranflated  ''I* 

the  Righttoufnefs,'^ 


^    55    "^ 

2  matter  of  furprife,  that  the  Tranflators  did  not 
put  it  in  the  text ;  if  the  laft  verfe  of  this  epiftle  is 
jiiftly  tranflated,  viz.  Crirjj  in  gracs,  and  in  ibs 
knowledge  of  cur  Lord,  and  Saviour  Jefus  Chrifly  then 
the  marginal  tranflation  of  the  firft  verfe  is  juft, 
becaufe  the  grammatical  conftrudion  of  both  is 
the  fame. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  Jefus  Chrirt  is  called  God  ; 
I  have  quoted  feveral  texts  of  Scripture  in  which  he 
is  fo  called  ;  and  many  more  might  be  mentioned, 
were  it  necelTary.  The  words  of  my  text  arc  clear 
and  decifive,  for  there  the  Apoftle  calls  Jefus  his 
Lord  and  his  God;  but  it  is  of  great  importance  to 
afcertain  in  what  fenfe,  Jefus  Chriil  is  fo  called. 
He  is  called  God,  in  the  drift  and  proper  fenfe  of 
the  word  ;  and  this  we  will  now  endeavour  to  prove. 
Firft,  we  are  always  to  underfland  every  word 
and  every  fentence,  both  in  the  facred  fcriptures, 
and  in  all  other  writings,  in  a  literal,  ftricl:,  and 
proper  fenfe,  exctfpt  neccflity  obliges  us  to  take 
them  figuratively ;  tkat  is,  except  the  words  ap- 
pear to  be  figurative,  or  cannot  be  taken  in  a 
ftrid:  literal  fenfe  without  abfurdity.  When  Idols 
are  called  Gods,  it  is  eafy  to  fee  in  what  fenfe  they 
are  fo  called  :  tjiey  were  fo  called  by  their  deluded 
worfliippers  ;  but  the  infpired  writers  declare  that 
they  ar€  lying  vanities,  dumb  idols  and  an  abo- 
mination ;     and  fometimes,  they   are   called    gods, 

in 


^    5^    ^ 

in  derlfion.     They  are  entirely  out  of  the  queftion. 
But  are  not  men  iometirnes  called  Gods  ?   we  grant 
that  they  are  ;  but  when  they  are  fo  called,  there 
is    always    fome   mark,  by  which  we  may  perceive 
in  what  fenfe  ;     there  is  always  fomething   faid  to 
fhew   that   the  word    niufl    be    taken    figuratively. 
Thus  when  the  Lord  fays  unto  Mofes,    I   have  made 
thee  a  God  to  Pharaoh,   we   muft  underftand  thefe 
words,   as   relating     to    the    milTion    which    Mofes 
received  from   God,  the  authority  he  was  invefled 
with,  or  in  other  words,  that  he  was  in  God's  (lead, 
the  minifler  of  God  ;  no   one  can  believe  that  Mofes 
was  really   and  truly  God.       When  perfons  in  high 
office,  and  exercifing   high  power  are   called  Gods, 
it  is  from  fome  faint  refemblance  of  the  power  and 
authority  of  God  over  his  fubjeds;    but  it  i»  faid. 
Cod  judgeth  among  the  gods^    and  ^^^^m^  I  have  faid 
ye  are  gods  J  and  all  of  you  are  children  of  the  Mofi  High^ 
but  ye/hall  die  like  men.     There  is  nothing  eafier  than 
to  diflinguifli  the  true  God,  from  thofe  who  are  only 
called  gods  in  a  figurative  fenfe  ;  but  in  what  fenfe  is 
he  called  God,   unto  whom   the  divine  attributes  are 
afcribed  I    there  is    no  abfurdity  in  calling  him  God, 
in  the  flrid  and   proper   fenfe  ©f  the   word,  who  is 
pofieded  of  the  divine  perfections,  and  confequently, 
of  that  nature  to  which  thefe  perfe(^ions  belong.     If 
it   has  been   proved  that  any  one  divine  attribute  is 
afcribed  to  Jcfua  Chrift,   if  it  has  been  proved  that 

he 


^    57     "^ 

he  is  Jehovah,   if  it  has  been   proved  that  he  is  our 
Cod  and  Saviour,    then  he  is  really  and  truly   God; 
for  the   true  God,  and,   lie  only,  can    be  called  Qur 
Cod*       In  what    fenfe   is    he    called    God,    who    is 
eternal,    unchangeable,      omniprefent,     omnifcient, 
and   almighty  ?    in   what    fenfe    is   he  called    God, 
"who  is  moft   holy,  whofe   mercy  we  look  for  unto 
eternal  life,  whofe  long.fufFering  is  falvation,  whofe 
grace  is  fufficient  for  his   people,    whofe  ftrength  is 
perfected   in    their  weaknefs,    who  is  able    to   fave 
even  to   the   uttermoft,    and   who    is    himfelf,    the 
Lord  of  hods,  and  the  Lord  our  righteoufnefs  ?    hi 
what  fenfe  is  he  called    God,  who  is  our  great  God 
and  Saviour,  the  Prince   of  life,   the  Lord   of  glory, 
the  Lord  of  Lords   and  King  of  Kings  ?    He  that  is 
the  Lord  of  Lords,   is  the  Lord  of  glory  ;   he  that  is 
the  King  of  Kings,  is  the  King  of  glory  ;     and  who 
is  the  King  of  glory?    The  L^rd  Jlrong  and  mighty  y 
The  Lord  flrong  and  mighty   in  battle*      Lift  up  your 
heads,  0  ye  gates,  even  lift  them  up  ye  everla/iing  doors, 
and  the  King  Qf  glory  fiall  come  in*       Who  is  this 
King  of  glory  ?   the  Lord  of  hofts,  he  is   the  King  of 
glory.      In  what  fenfe  is  he  called  God,   who   is  the 
heart  fearching  judge  of  the  quick  and  of  the  dead* 
who   Ihall  judge  the    world   in   righteoufnefs,    and 
give  unto  every  one  according  to  his  ways  ?  Laftly, 
in  what   fenfe  is  he  called  God,  in   whom  dwelleth 
^11  the  fulnefs  of  the  God-head  bodily,  who  is  in  the 
Father,    and    the   Father   in  hi«i,    and  who  fays  ? 

and 
I 


^    5^    "^ 

and  my  Father  are  one.     Philip  faid  unto  Jefus  fhew 
us  the  Father  ;  let  the  anfvver  of  our  Lord  be  for- 
ever recorded  :  have  I  been  Jo  long  time  'ujith  you,  and 
yet  thou  haft  not  kmvm  me,  Philip  P    he  that  hath  feen 
me  hath  feen  the  Father  ;    and  how  fay  eft  thou  then, 
fhew  us  the  Father  P    helievefi  thou  not  that  I  am  in  the 
Father  and  the  Father  in  me  P    Jefus  is  the  bright- 
nefs  of  the  Father's  glory,   and  the   exprefs  image 
of  his  perfon*     And  the  everlafting  Father  declares 
that  his  Son  is  his   equal,  faying,'  awake,  0  fivord^ 
againft  my  fhepherd,  and  fmite  the  man  that  is  my  fellow 
faith  the  Lord  of  Htfts.       God   hath  commanded  the 
Angels    to   worfhip   the    Son ;     and   men   are  com- 
manded to  honour  the  Son   even  as   they   honmr  the 
Father*       Let  us  neither  coniradid    the  word,  nor 
difobey  the  commandment  of  our  God  ;    but  let  us 
afcribe  glory,  and  honour,  and  blefhng,  and  praife, 
unto  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft,   now,   and 
forever.  Amen* 


><><><>C>C^><>^ri<>&<><T.<<>C'><><^><r>< _    -.  


SERMON  THIRD. 


John,  2oth  Chap.  28th  Verfc. 

Jnd  7'homas  an/were d  and  f aid  unto  him,  my  Lord  and 
my  God, 

TN  the  following  dircourfe,  we  will  endeavour  to 
-■-prove  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  objed  of  adoration 
and  religious  worfliip. 

It  is  recorded  in  the  old  Teftament,  that  the  Patri- 
arch Jacob  addreiTed  his  prayer  to  the  Son  of  God ; 
and  that  he  implored  his  bleffing  upon  his  children, 
faying,  the  Angel  vih'ich  redeemed  me  from  all  evily 
hlefs  the  lads  *.  Who  is  this  redeeming  Angel, 
this  Angel    who  can  redeem   from  all  evil?     the 

anfwer 

*  Gcnefis  xlrlli.  ij,  i5. 


anfwer  is  obvious;  this  Angel  is  the  Angel  of  the 
covenant,  the  great  Redeemer,  v/ho  can  redeem 
the  fouls  of  his  people,  and  -Oiho  gave  himfelf  for  tis, 
that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity.  He  that 
redeems  us  from  all  evil^  muft  redeem  from  fm, 
muft  be  able  to  fave  to  the  uttermoft,  muft  be  able 
not  only  to  grant  temporal  deliverances  to  his 
people,  but  alfo  to  grant  deliverance  from  the 
guilt -and  dominion  of  fin,  which  in  its  nature  and 
confequences,  is  the  greateft  of  all  evils.  This 
redeeming  Angel  is  not  a  created  Angel,  he  is  the 
creator  of  Angels,  the  creator  of  all  things,  vifible, 
and  invifible.  The  Angel  unto  vi'hom  Jacob  prayed, 
is  called  the  God  of  Abraham,  Ifaac,  and  Jacob, 
the  God  before  whom  Abraham  and  Ifaac  did  walk, 
the  God  who  fed  Jacob  all  his  life  long,  unto  that 
very  day  on  which  Jacob  addreffed  thir  prayer 
untoiiim.  This  Angel  is  the  hearer  of  prayer,  is 
able  to  confer  blefTings,  and  is  praifed  in  Heaven  for 
his  redeeming  love  ;  ivorthy  art  thou  to  take  the  book, 
and  to  open  the  feals  thereof ;  for  thou  waft  flain,  and 
hajl  redee7ne^  us  unto  God  by  thy  blood*  Worthy  is  the 
Lamb  that  -was  flain^  to  receive  -power y  and  riches, 
and  wifdom,  andftrength,  and  honour ^  and  glory,  and 
hleffing  *.  The  Patriarchs  were  not  ignorant  of  the 
Redeemer,  nor  of  that  redemption  that  is  in  him. 
Abraham  faw  his  day,  and  rejoiced  ;  and  he  beheved 
the  promife,    that   in  his   feed,  all   nations   oi"    the 

earth 

*  Rev.  V.  9,  I  a. 


»     6i     0^ 

earth  fhould  be  blefled.  This  redeemer  was  pro- 
niifed  to  our  firft  parents,  when  it  was  faid,  thac 
the  feed  of  the  woman  iliould  bruife  the  head  of  the 
ferpent.  Job  knew  his  redeea^er  ;  /  kmvj.  Jays  he, 
that  my  redeemer  liveth  ;  and  that  he  Jh all  J} and  at  the 
latter  day  upon  the  earth*  Arid  though  after  myfk'in 
vjorms  dejiroy  this  body^  yet  in  my  flejh  Jhall  I  fee  God  ; 
whom  I  fh all  fee  fir  myfelfy  and  mine  eyes  fhall  behold 
and  not  another ;  though  my  reins  be  cdnfumed  •with- 
in me^* 

The  fame  perfon,  even  the  Son  of  God,  was 
worfhipped  by  Jofhua,  when  he  appeared  unto  him 
as  the  Captain  of  the  Lord's  hoft,  in  the  likeneis  of 
a  man,  having  a  drawn  fword  in  his  hand  ;  Jofhua 
fell  on  his  face  to  the  earth,  and  didworfhip  ;  and  faid 
unto  him,  what  faith  my  Lord  unto  his  fervant  P  and 
the  Captain  of  the  Lord^s  h oft  faid  unto  Jofhua,  loofe  thy 
fhoe  from  off  thy  foot  :  for  the  place  where  thouftandeft 
is  holy  f .  That  Jefus  Chrift  our  Saviour  is  the  Cap- 
tain of  the  Lord^s  hoft,  we  have  very  convincing 
evidence  ;  he  it  called  the  Captain  of  our  falvation, 
and  in  the  book  of  the  revelation,  he  is  fpoken  of, 
as  the  Captain,  the  leader  of  the  heavenly  armies, 
John  faw  the  Heavens  opened,  and  he  faw  the  great 
Mefliah  ;  he  law  his  Vefture  dipt  in  blood,  and  he 
knew  him  to  be  the  Word  of  God  :  He  faw  him  at 
the  head  of  the  Heavenly  armies,  for  he  informs  us 

thac 
%  Job.  xix.  25.  27.     t  Jolhua  v.  14.  15. 


^^       62      c^ 

that  the  armUs  which  were  in  He<tuen  followed  him* 
If  the  Son  of  God  is  the  Captain  of  the  Lord's  hoft, 
then  he  is  the  perfon  whom  Jolhua  vvorfhipped,  fall- 
ing down  on  his  face  to  the  earth,  before  the  prefence 
of  divine  Majefty.  When  God  forbids  the  wor- 
fhipping  of  idols,  he  fays,  thou  ihalt  not  bow  down 
thyfelf  to  them  nor  ferve  them  ;  and  it  is  as  un- 
lawful to  bow  down  to  Angels,  and  to  ferve  them  • 
God  alone  is  the  objed  of  religious  worfhip  and 
fervice.  But  Jofliua  fell  down  on  his  face,  before 
the  Captain  of  the  Lord's  boil,  worfhipped  him, 
called  him  his  Lord,  acknowledged  himfelf  his  fer- 
vant,  and  at  his  command,  loofed  his  ihoe  from 
off  his  foot.  The  captain  of  the  Lord's  hoft  appear- 
ed to  Jofhua,  to  give  him  his  orders  for  the  conduct- 
ing of  a  particular  expedition  i  and  after  having 
claimed  divine  honours,  proceeds  to  tells  him,  that  he 
had  delivered  Jericho,  and  the  king  thereof,  and  a]! 
the  mighty  men  of  valour,  into  his  hand.  This 
Captain  of  the  Lord's  hoft  is,  in  the  fixth  chapter  of 
the  book  of  Jofliua,  called  the  Lord,  that  is, 
Jehovah.  But  is  it  worthy  of  particular  notice,  that 
the  Captain  of  the  Lord's  hoft  claims  divine  wor- 
Ihip,  in  commanding  Jofluia  to  loofe  his  fhoe  from 
oft  his  foot,  and  in  giving  him  this  reafon  why- 
he  iliould  do  fo,  namely,  the  -place  where  thou 
fiandeft  is  holy*  This  cannot  be  confidered,  but  as  a 
declaration  on  the  one  part,  and  an  acknowledg- 
ment on  the  other,  of  the  fpecial  prefence  of  the 

holy 


holy  one  of  Ifrael ;  for  when  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
appeared  to  Mofes,  in  thebufli,  he  command-ed  him 
to  do  the  very  fanre  thing,  and  for  the  very  fame 
rcafon,  that  the  Captain  of  the  Lord's  heft  command- 
ed Jofhua  to  do.  There  is  good  ground  to  believe 
that  the  perfon  who  appeared  to  Mofes,  and  who 
is  called  Jehovah,  and  the  God  of  Abraham*,  is  the 
very  fame  perfon  who  appeared  to  Jolhua  ;  but 
granting  that  thefe  were  diftin'ri:  perfons,  they  claim- 
ed and  received  the  fame  divine  honours. 

The  Pfalmifl:  afTerts  that  the  Son  of  God  is  to  be 
"worihipped  when  he  fays,  all  kings  Ihall  fall  down 
before  him  ;  all  nations  fhallferve  him  :  For  he  fhall 
deliver  the  needy  when  he  crieth  ;  the  poor  alfo, 
and  him  that  hath  no  helper.  He  fhall  fpare  the 
poor  and  needy,  and  fhall  fave  the  fouls  of  the  needy. 
He  ihall  redeem  their  foul  from  deceit  and  violence, 
and  precious  fhall  their  blood  be  in  his  fight.  And 
he  fhall  live,  and  to  him  fliall  be  given  of  the  gold 
of  Sheba  ;  prayer  alfo  p^ali  he  made  for  him  continually 
and  daily  fhall  he  be  praifed\.  His  name  fhall  endure 
forever  ;  his  name  fliall  be  continued  as  long  as 
the  fun  ;  and  men  flail  he  bleffed  in  him  ;  all  nations 
Jhall  call  him  hie  [fed.  _  It  is  the  conftant  prayer  of 
the  Church,  that  the  kingdom  of  Chrifl  may  flourifh 
andprofper  ;    and  in  this  fenfe,   prayer  may  be  faid 

to 

*  ExoduSj  iii.  chap.  f  Pfalm,  Ixxii. 


to  be  made  for  him.  But  if  he  fhall  be  praifed  daily 
if  he  is  the  obje(5l  of  daily  praife,  we  may  alfo  ad- 
drefs  our  prayers  unto  him,  for  praife  is  a  noble  part 
of  prayer.  We  muft  not  praife  one  whom  it  is 
unlawful  to  pray  to,  nor  pray  unto  one,  whom  it  is 
unlawful  to  addrcfs  in  praife.  The  Pfalmift  fays  un- 
to the  church,  Hearken^  0  daughter^  and  conjider^ 
and  incline  thine  ear  ;  forget  alfo  thine  own  people,  and 
thy  father's  houfe-  Sojhall  the  King  greatly  defire  thy 
•beauty  ;  for  he  is  thy  Lord,  and  worfhip  thou  him» 

When  Jefus  was  born,  the  wife  men  came  from 
the  eaft  to  worfiiip  him  ;  the  people  worfliipped  him, 
when  they  cried,  Hofanna  to  the  Son  of  David, 
blelfed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
And  the  children  praifed  him,  faying  Hofaana 
to  the  Son  of  David.  Thefe  acclamations  gave 
great  offence  to  the  chief  priefts  andfcribes;  they 
v/ere  fore  difpleafed  with  the  children,  as  they  were 
before,  with  the  multitude ;  and  they  faid  unto 
Jefus,  heareft  thou  what  thefe  fay  ?  but  Jefus  faid 
unto  them,  yea,  have  ye  never  read,  out  of  the 
mouths  of  babes  and  fuckUngs  thou  haft  perfeSied 
praife?  Praife,  therefore,  even  fuch  praife  as  God 
by  his  grace  kindles  in  the  hearts  of  his  children, 
and  teaches  their  lips  to  utter,  was  by  babes  and 
fucklings  addreffed  to  Jefus  Chrift  :  And,  ihall  our 
lips  be  filent  ?  Shall  children  praife  the  God  of  falva- 
tion  ;  and  Hiall  we  refufe  him  the  tribute  of  our  praife  ? 
Shall  we  refnfe  our  Kofannas   to    the   author    and 

finifher 


^     6, 


finifhsr  of  our  faith  ?      The  word,  liofannah,  figni- 
iies,   fave    now     I  bcfcech  ;     and    fhall   we    not    ac- 
kr;0^j£dge  Chrift's  power     to   fave  ?    Ihall    we   not 
praife  him  who  is    mighty  to  fave,    and  who  is   the 
author  of  eternal  falvation  ?    The  glory  of  falvation 
is  afcribed   to  the  Son  of  God,  by  his   ranfomed  and 
redeemed  ;  they  ftand  before  the   throne,  and   be- 
fore the   Lamb,     faying  falvation  to   our  God  uuhich 
Jittsth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb*     But  the 
Son  is  rcprefented  as  fitting  upon  the  throne ,  Jit  ting 
on    the    right  hand  of  power  ;    and  it  is    faid    that 
he  fitteth   on  the  right   hand  of  God.     Now    if  Jefus 
fitteth  on  the  throne,  on  his  Father's  throne,  on  the 
right  hand  of  God,  and  if  he  faid  unto  the  high  Priefl 
and  the  council,   hereafter  (hall  ye  fee  the  Son  of  man 
fitting  on  the   right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  in  the 
clouds  ;  then,   thefe    words   are  frequently  ufed    to 
fignify  the    glory,  dignity,  and   bright   appearance, 
of  Chrift  in  his    exalted  ftate,  and   in  his  glorified 
body.      We   may  therefore  in  many  places  conllder 
thefe    words,  fitteth  upon  the  throne,   and,  the  Lamb, 
as    relating  to    one    perfon.      It  cannot    be  denied, 
that  Ifaiah  law    the   Son  of    God  fitting  upon   the 
throne,  it  cannot   be   denied,  that   he  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  flain,  who  after  he  had  offered  one  /acrifice  for 
fins  for  ever,  fat,  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God  ;  from 
henceforth  expe6iing  till  his  enemies  be  madt  hisfootflooU 
Thefe    words,  fitteth  upon  the    throne,  and  fitting 
upoa   the  throne,   are  applicable  to  the  Son  of  God, 

X  and 


^'    66    c^ 

snd  why  may  not  the  praiie  which  is  accrefTed  t* 
him  that  Gtteth  upon  the  throre,  be  ccrldered  sj 
addreiled  to  the  Son,  even  to  the  Lomb,  for  ever  and 
ever?  Ent  at  ail  events,  and  admitting,  thit  the 
praife  which  is  addrelTed  to  bicn  that  fiiteth  upcn  the 
throre,  is  adcrelTed  to  the  Father,  yet  the  Larcb 
is  alio  the  object  ot  his  praife  ;  and  vhen  falvaiicn 
is  afcrlbed  to  him,  is  sdorcd  as  the  Gcd  cf  falva- 
lion.  Salvation  belongs  to  Gcd  alone;  and  the 
glory  of  falvaiion'  to  him  cnly  ;  but  this  glory  is 
afcrlbed  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son  Cbrlft  Jefos. 

Again,  7  beheld,  fays  the  Apcftle,  £nd lecri  the 
voice  of  many  yingels  round  about  the  ihrcre,  and  the 
beafis  and  the  elders,  and  the  number  cf  thern  laas  ten 
ihoufand  times  ten  thoufandy  and  thoufands  of  ibou' 
pinds  ;  fc\  tng  vnth  a  hud  voice,  -aitrihy  is  the  Lamb 
thai  'jjasflJn,  to  receive  fo'jjer,  ard  riches ,  and-jjifdom 
and  firengih,  and  honzur,  icnd  gkry,  and  hlef:r.g^ 
And  every  creature  which  is  in  Heaven,  end  en  the  earth 
and  under  the  earth,  and  fuch  as  are  in  the  fea,    heard 

he  unto  him  that  fiiteth  upzn  the  throne,  and  unto  the 
Lamb  ftr  ever  and  ever.  And  the  four  heafts  faid. 
Amen,  And  the  fzur  and  t-jiznty  elders  fell  down  cr.d 
TizrC:tppfd  lim  ilat  liveth  for  ever  and  ever**  And 
doth  not  Chrift  live  for  ever  and  ever  ?  Is  he  not 
tternal  >    Is  it   not  one  cf  his   glcricus  titles,    that 

he 

•  RcT.v.  i;,  13?  "4- 


^     67     c^ 

he  liveth  for  evermore?   Do    not   the    Ang.els   and 
Elders  fay,  glory  be  nnto   the  Lamb,  for  ever    and 
ever?     Thus  the  Lamb  is  worJhipped  in  Heaven  by 
his  ranfo:ned  and  redeemed  ;  and   by  the  Angels    of 
God.     The   holy  Angels  delight    to   do  the  will  of 
God,  and   chearfully    obey  his  commandments;    and 
they  are  commanded  to    worfliip   the  Son  ;  but   our 
God  is  a  jealous  God  and  will  nat  give  his  glory  unto 
anot'ier,  and  therefore  would   not   have  faid,  let  all 
the  Angels   of   God   worfiiip    him,  that   is,  t!ie  J.on» 
if  he  was  not  juftly  entitled  to  this  worlhip.     It  is  not 
an  object  of  pov/er,   to    command  Angels  or  men  to 
worfiiip  ons  who  is  not  pciTciired    of  the    divine   per- 
fections. 

But  fome  will  fay,  where  is  the  ufe  of  this  com- 
mandment given  to  the  Angels  ?  if  the  Son  is  God, 
and  confequently,  judly  entitled  to  divine  worfhip, 
would  not  the  Angels  have  known  their  duty  and 
have  acted  accordingly  ?  It  is  fufncient  for  us  to 
Vnow,  that  the  infinitely  wife  God  hath  commanded 
the  Angels  to  worfhip  the  Son  ;  it  is  fufficient  for  us 
to  know,  that  the  giving  of  this  commandment  is 
recorded  in  the  holy  fcriprures  for  our  inflruction. 
If  it  is  the  duty  of  Angels  to  worfhip  the  Son  of  God, 
it  is  alfo  our  duty  to  do  fo;  it  is  our  duty  to  honour  ' 
the  Son,  even  as  we  honour  the  Father.  Do  Angels 
worfhip  the  Son,  apd  fhall  fuch  creatures  as  we  are, 
rsfufc  to  worfljip  him,  at    whole   name  every  knee 

/hall 


^    68    c^ 

fiiall  bow,  before  wliofe  jncigment  Test  we  muft  all 
appear,  unto  whom  we  nvjft  ail  give  an  account, 
and  receive  from  him,  according  to  the  deeds  done 
in  the  body  ? 

It  is  recorded,  that  Jefus  wp.i  worH^ipped  by  his 
difciples,  and  that  they  prayed  to  hini:  and  of  this 
we  have  Cevcral  inlrances.  It  is  very  piuii),  '('  he 
difciples  confidered  him  as  the  Learcr  of  ,;rayer; 
this  fays  the  Apoftie,  is  the  confidence  ilu-t  wc  hi-.ve  in 
him,  that  if  iJJg  afk' any  thing  iiccording  to  hs  ivilL  he 
heareth  us^  and  if  we  know  that  hz  h?-ar  vj,  -nhatlQevr 
lue  a/]c,  we  knoiu  that  ive  have  the  petite. ns  trat  we 
defired  of  hl/n»  *  The  Apoiile  Paul  prayed  to  the 
Lord  Jefus,  to  be  de'ivt^red  from  forrc  veiyievere 
trial  or  temptation :  hecills't  a  lijorn  in  ti.e  fieih, 
the  meiFenger  of  Satan  t.>  b,:fFet  hnn,  leil  h  ihould 
be  exalted  above  meafare.  A'-  '^.^tever  this  ten>p- 
tation  was,  the  Apoftie  had  rr:r\^y'(^  to  prayer; 
and  lie  addrelfed  his  prayer  i.nvo  the  Lord  Jetus; 
/,  fays  Paul,  bef ought  the  Lord  ihtice,  that  it  might 
depart  from  me.  Jnd  he  /aid  nrJo  me^  v^v  g^race  is 
fufficient  for  thee  ;  for  my  ftrevgth  is  rm^.i  fr>je^  in 
weaknefs.  Mo  ft  gLudy  therefore  will  7  r,:ihtr  glory 
in  mine  infirmities,  that  the  povjer  of  Chrljr  may  rtft 
vpm  me.  f  There  are  fevcrr)!  inlhnces  of  prayer 
lieing  addrefled  to  Jefus,  v.hle  on  earth;  the 
difciples   prayed   to    him   for    increafe    of  faith,   the 

ApoOlfs 

*  J.  John  V.  T4,  15.         -j-  2.  Cor.  xii.  8,  9,, 


ApOitles  faid  unto  the  Lord,  increcip  our  faith  ;  and 
that  Jefus  was  able  to  do  fo,  was  by  them  acknow- 
ledged. But  this  is  the  work  of  God.,  the  work 
of  him  who  is  the  head  of  his  Chu:ch,  and  from 
which  head,  all  the  body,  by  joints  and  bands, 
having  no'urijQjinent  mlnifteredy  and  knit  together^ 
increafeth  with  the  Increafs  of  Cod.^  Can  Jefus 
increafe  the  faith  of  his  difciples  ?  then  he  mull  be 
that  God  who  has  an  abHilute  cmimand  of  the 
hu'iian  heart,  and  who  giveth  grace  to  tlie  children 
of  men.  It  is  to  be  obferved  that  Jefus  never 
rebuked  any  one  for  praying  to  him,  which,  as  a 
teacher  fent  from  God,  he  would  certainly  have 
done,  if  thofe  that  prayed  to  him,  acled  contrary 
to  their  duty.  The  difciples  prayed  to  their  Lord 
and  Mafter,  when  they  were  expofed  to  imminent 
danger  in  a  ftorm,  faying,  Lord  fave  uSj  ijjs peri/Jy, 
Let  his  anfwer  be  imprefled  upon  our  fouls  ;  he  lalth 
unto  thenif  why  are  ye  fearful^  0,  ys  of  little  faith  ? 
Then  he  arofe  and  rebuked  the  winds  and  thefea,  and 
there  was  a  great  calm'  Well  might  the  men  in  the 
fhip  marvel  ;  well  might  they  fay,  what  manner  of 
man  is  this,  that  even  the  "winds  and  the  ffa  cbey  him  P 
To  rebuke  the  Vv'inds,  to  make  the  florm  a  calmy 
to  ftill  the  waves  of  the  fea,  is  the  work  of  him 
only,  who  hath  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth, 
Y/ho  hith  fet  bounds    to    the   fea,    and  reftraineth 

the 

♦  CololSanE,  ii,  19. 


the  rage  of  the  great  deep  :  Unto  him  the  diflTeffed 
marhiers  cry  in  their  trouble,  and  he  brlngeih  tkem 
out  of  their  dijlrejfes.       He  maketh  the  Jionn  a  calm, 

fo  that  the  -waves  thereof  are  fait  Oh,  that  men 
■would  praife  the  Lord  for  his  goodnefs^  and  for  his 
*d)mderfid  works  to  the  children  of  men  I  * 

The  ace  of  praying  to  God,  is  very   frequently  in 
the    fcriptures,'-  termed,    calling    upon     God,     and 
upon  the  name  of  God  :     Thus  fays    the   Pfalmift,  / 
wi//  call  upon  the  Lord  who  is  worthy    to  he  prai/ed  ; 
jo  floall  1  be  faved  from  mine  enemies.      In    my  cijirefs 
I  called  upin  the  Lord,  and  cried  unto  my    Cod  ;  he 
heard  my  voice  out  of  his  temple ,    and  my    cry  came 
before    him,    even  into    his    ears.       Job    fpedking    of 
the    hypocrite,  fays,    will    God   hear   his  cry    when 
trouble   coineth  upon  him  ?    will  he  delight  himfelf 
in    the    Alrjiighty  \    will  he  always  call  upon  God  ? 
Call  upon  me,  faith  the  Lord,  in    the  day  of  trouble, 
I  will  deliver  thee,  and  thou  fhalt  glorify  me.     And, 
faith    the  Prophet,  whofoever  fhall  call  on   the   nafne 
of  the  Lord  fhall  be  favecl.       Hear   how  the    Apoftle 
applies   thefe   words   of   the    Prophet  ;    fpeaking  of 
JefusChritl:,  he  lays,  Whojoever  believeth  on  himfJoall 
not  he  afhamed.     For  there  is  no  difference  between  the 
Jew  and  toe  Greek  ;    for  the  fame  Lord  over  all,    is 
rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him.-f       It  is  very  obvious 
that  to  call  upon  God,     to  call  upon  the  name  of 

God, 

*  Pialm  cril.  f  Rom.  x.  ii. 


^     71     <^ 

God,  is  to  worfliiphim  in  prayer.  Let  us  now  fee  if 
the  difciples  called  upon  the  name  of  Jcfus.  And 
here  we  have  a  very  fufEcient  evidence,  befides  tlie 
palTage  laft  quoted.  Indeed  it  appears,  that  to 
call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrill,  was 
•  the  conllant  practice  of  the  difciples  ;  and  that  they 
received  a  particular  denomination  from  this  practice, 
whethfr  given  to  them  by  their  enemies,  in  con- 
tempt, or  adopted  by  themfelves  ;'  but  it  is  certain, 
they  were  not  afhamed  to  acknowledge  that  they 
:alled  upon  his  name.  Ananias  faid  unto  the  Lorci^ 
who  appeared  unto  him  in  a  vldon,  Lord,  I  have 
heard  by  many  of  this  man,  how  much  evil  he 
hath  done  to  ihy  faints  at  Jerufalem  ;  and  here  he 
hath  authority  from  the  chief  priefts,  to  bind  all  that 
call  on  thy  name*  But  after  Ananias  was  convinced 
of  Paul's  converfion,  and  that  he  was  a  chofen  fervant 
of  the  Lord,  he  faid  unto  him,  arife,  and  be 
baptized,  and  waOi  away  thy  fms,  calling  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  Hear  the  Apoflle's  faUitation  to 
the  Church  of  God  at  Corinth  ;  Paul,  called  to  be 
an  Apoftle  of  Jefus  Chrift  through  the  will  of  God, 
and  Softhenes  our  brother,  unto  the  Church  of  God, 
which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them  that  are  fanctified 
in  Chrift  Jefus,  called  to  be  faints,  "jjith  all  that 
in  every  place  calj  upon  the  nc^me  of  Jefus  ChriJ}  our 
Lord  both  theirs  and  ours*  Grace  he  unto  you,  and 
peace  from  God  our  Father^  and  from  the  Lord  Jefus 
Chrift. 

The 


^i 


The  mamier  in  which  the  ApoHles  begin  and 
conclude  their  epiftles,  their  affedionate  falutations, 
and  the  divine  doxologies  which  we  find  fo  fre- 
quently in  their  writings,  are  convincing  proofs 
that  Chrift  is  the  cbjed  of  religious  worlhip  :  For 
we  cannot  but  perceive,  that  in  thefe  falutations, 
prayer  is  addrelTed  to  Jefus  Chrift  ;  and  that  in  the 
doxologies,  divine  glory  is  af^iribed  unto  him. 
Thus  for  example,  The  Lord  of  Peace  h'lmfelf  give 
you  peace  (ilwciysy  by  all  means. — The  Lord  be  with 
you  alU — The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrifi  he  ivith 
you  ally  Amen — The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrifi 
»nd  the  love  of  God,  and  the  rommunion  ef  the  Holy 
Ghofi,  be  with  ydu  al',  Jmen. — Thefe  are  pray» 
crs,  addreffed  to  the  Divine  perfons  whofe  bleffingj 
are  implored  ;  chey  arc  blefTmgs  pronounced  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jefus^  and  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghoft.  It  is  an  ad  of  religious  worfhip, 
to  blefs  the  people  in  the  name  of  God  ;  and  it  is 
unlawful  to  blefs  the  people,  or  pronouncq  a  bleffing, 
but,  in  the  name  of  him  that  can  confer  blefTmgs, 
and  is,  himfelf,  the  fountain  of  bleffednefs.  And 
as  to  -the  doxologies  ufcd  by  the  Apoflles,  in  them 
we  find  divine  glory  aferibed  to  Jefus  Chrifi :  To 
him  be  glory  both  novj  and  forever,  Amen — Unto  him 
that  loved  us,  and  wafoed  us  from  our  fins  in  his  oiow 
blood  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priefts  unis  Cod, 
und  his  Father,  to  him  be  glory  for  ever,  Amen.  ^ 

We 

*  Rev.  I,  C, 


^     73     °C 

We  have  already   quoted   feveral   paiTages  of  Scrip- 
ture, wherein     divine  glory   is  afcribed,  and  divine 
praife  oiFered  to   the  Son,   co-ordinately,   with   the 
Father;  and  fhall  proceed  to  fliew  that  the  Difciples 
exercifed,   and   that   it  is    the  duty  of  Chriflians   to 
exercife,     fuch   affecTiions  of    the   foul   towards  the 
Son   of  God,    as    prove    him    to    be    the  objed  of 
religious  wor/hip.      To  believe  in  God,   to  truft  in 
him,  to   hope  in    him,   and    to  love   him,    are    true 
and  genuine  acts  of  religious  worihip.     This  mlgiu 
be  eafily  proved,  but  it  will  not  be  denied  ;    Let 
us  then  enquire,  whether  we  are  bound  to  believe, 
to  truft,  to  hope  in  Jefus,    and   to  love  him   as  our 
God.       And    iirft,  with  regard  to   faith,    it  is   our 
duty  to  believe  in  Chriil ;  which  fignifies  more  than 
to   believe   him.      It    is    cur    duty    to   believe    the 
Prophets,   Evangelifts,   and   Apoftles,    but    we    are 
not  faid  tobeheve  in  them.     It  is  our  duty  to  believe 
Jefus,   the  great  Prophet,  and   moreover,   it  is  our 
duty   to  believe  in   him  ;    ys   believe    in    God,    fays 
Chrift,    believe   alfo  in  me»      Here  the   difciples  are 
commanded  to  believe  in  the  Son   of  God  ;    which 
they  would  not   have  been  commanded  to  do  if  ha 
was  not  the  objeift  of  divine  faith.     This  expreiTion, 
to   believe    in,    is  nfed  in  the  Old  Teftament,    tq 
fignify    that    faith,     which     the    fervants     of    God 
exercifed    towards     him,    and   in    him ;    that    faith 
which  the  fervants  of  God  had   in    their  Redeemer, 
and  that  faith    which    believers,     in    future    ages, 

Oiouia 
L 


^     74    ^ 

Ihould  have  m  him  :  Hear  me,  O  Judah,  fays  Jehofha. 
phat,  and  ye  inhabitants  of  JeruUlem,  believe  in  th^ 
Lor  J  your  God,Jo  Jhall  ye  be  ejtahlijhed*     The  prophet 
was  delivered  from  the  lion's  den,  and  no  manner  of 
hurt  was  found  upon  him,   becaufe   he  heVieved  in  his 
Cod.*     And   thus  faith  the  Lord,  beliold   I    lay  in 
Sion  a  Itumblirig  (lone,  and  a  rock  of  offence,    and 
ivho/oever  believeth   on  him  fhall  not  be  ojhamed*     "We 
are  commanded  to  believe   in  Jefus,    to  believe  on 
liim,  and  to  believe  on  his  name.     Eternal   life    is 
promifed,  yea,    Chrifl  himfelf  promifed  it  to  them 
that  believe  in  him  ;    He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of 
Cod  hath    everlajling    life  ;     and     again,    whofoever 
liveth  and  believeth  in  me,  fhall  never  die.      God  hath 
commanded   us    to  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son, 
and  he  gave  liis  only  begotten  Son,  /to  whofoever 
Believeth  in  himfhould  not  perifh,  but  have  everlajling 
life.     But  the  nature  of  this  faith   in  Chrifl,    ihews 
us  that  it  is  divine,    and  has  a  divine  perfon,  even 
God,  for    its'  objecl:.     'It  is   a   juflifying   faith,    a 
iaving  faith,  a  faith  by   which  Chriftians  overcome 
the  world,  and  a  faith  by   which    they  live:    The 
life  which   I  live   in  the   flefh,  fays  the  Apoftle,  / 
live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God.     '  Without  this 
faith   we   cannot  be   favcd,  without   this   faith   we 
cannot  plcafe   God,   we  cannot  approach  unto  him 
as    a    reconciled    God,      wc    cannot    glorify    him. 

Without 

vK  Daniel  vi.  23. 


^    75    ^ 

Without  this  faith,  we  can  do  nothing;  for  without 
it  we  do  not  abide  in  Chrift  ;  and  he  hath  aflured  us 
that  we  cannot  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  hohnels, 
unlefs  we  abide  in  him  ;  without  me,  fays  he,  ye 
can  do  nothing.  By  this  faith)  Believers  reft  upon 
the  Lord  Jefus  for  falvation,  they  believe  in  him, 
as  the  Lord  their  rigbteoufnefs,  their  all  fufficient 
Saviour,  who  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteou Giiefs, 
to  every  one  that  believeth.  In  the  exercife  of 
faith.  Believers  trult  in  the  Lord  Jcfus,  and  comrai^ 
their  deareft  and  moft  importart  concerns  to  his 
care;  I  know,  fays  the  Apoftle,  whom  I  havs 
believed  J  ami  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  luhich  I  have 
committed  unto  him  againfi  that  day*  T  he  martyr 
Stephen  was  ftoned,  calling  upon  Cod,  and  faying. 
Lord  Jefus  receive  my  Ipirit :  *  And  David  com. 
mitted  his  foul,  and  keeping  of  it,  to  his  God; 
into  thine  hand,  I  commit  my  fpirit,  jor  thou  haft 
redeemed  me,  0  Lord  Cod  of  truth.  And  the  blelTed 
Jefus  himfelf,  confidered  as  man,  committed  his 
foul  to  God ;  Father,  into  thy  hands,  I  commend  my 
fpirit*  What  fhall  we  fay  then  to  thefe  things? 
Did  not  the  Martyr,  and  the  Apoftle,  commit  their 
fouls  to  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift?  Did  not  David 
commit  his  foul  to  his  Redeemer  ?  and  does  he  not 
call  him   the  Lord  God  of  truth  ?  Is  it  not  finful, 

to 

*  In  this  text,  the  word,  God,  is  not  in  the  Original ; 
but  the  palTage  is  as  ftrong  a  proof  of  Chrift's  divinity  with- 
out the  word.  Acts  vii,  60. 


^      76      e^ 

to  truft  in  any  creature  whatever  ?  Can  we  lawfully 
ttuft,  and  commit  our  fouls  to  the  care  and  keeping 
of  any  creature?  It  is  the  divine  prerogative,  to 
keep  the  foal.  He  that  trufteth  in  man,  and 
maketh  the  arm  of  flefh  his  confidence,  is  pronounced 
accUrfed ;  but  it  is  a  duty  to  truft  in  God  for  ever, 
for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlafting  ftrength.  Let 
fhem  that  fuffer  according  to  the  will  of  Cod,  commit 
the  keeping  of  their  fouls  to  him  in  well  doing,  as  untd 
a  faithful  Creator*  It  is  a  fad  upon  record,  that  th^ 
Apoftle  and  the  Martyr  committed  the  care  and 
keeping  of  their  fouls  to  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  % 
was  it  their  duty  to  do  fo  ?  Is  it  our  duty  to 
imitate  their  example?  If  it  is,  then,  we  muft 
acknowledge  him  to  be  the  object  of  religiou* 
worfhip.  Why  is  Jefus  called  the  Shepherd  and 
the  Bifhop  of  our  fouls?  Why  was  it  foretold, 
that  the  root  of  JefTe  fhould  be  for  an  enfign  to  the 
people,  that  the  Gentiles  fhould  feek  to  it,  -and 
that  his  reft  fhould  be  Glorious  ?  and  what  is  the 
meaning  of  this  predidion  ?  the  Apoftle  inform^ 
lis,  that  to  feek  to  Chrift,  is  to  truft  in  him ;  in  him 
fljall  the  Gentiles  truft-  Can  there  be  any  reafon 
given,  why  we  Ihould  not  truft  in  him?  He  is  the 
Author  and  finifher  of  our  faith  ;  he  is  able  to  fave^ 
tven  to  the  uttermoft ;  he  is  the  Author  of  eternal  faU 
vation  unto  all  them  that  obey  him*  It  is  our  duty  to 
keep  ourfelves  in  the  love  of  God,  looking  for  the 
mercy  of  »iir  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  unto  eternal  life  \ 

And 


^     77     ^ 

And  what  kind  of  truft,  are  Believers  to  cxercifc 
towards  him,  by  whofe  mercy  they  are  to  obtain 
eternal  Ufe,  and  by  whofe  grace  they  are  faved  > 
How  are  we  to  truft  in  and  reft  upon  that  Lord  and 
Saviour,  whofe  grace  is  fufficient  for  us,  whofe 
ftrength  is  perfected  in  weaknefs,  who  giveth  unto 
his  fheep  everlafting  life,  and  aifures  them,  that 
they  fhall  never  perifh  ?  It  is  a  divine,  holy,  and 
religious  truft,  that  is  to  be  repofed  in  him,  unto 
whom  we  commit  our  precious  and  immortal  fouls ; 
and  in  whom  we  truft  for  falvation  through  his 
mercy.  The  Apoftle  trufted  in  Chrift,  that  he 
would  providentially  order  and  over-rule  events 
relative  to  the  edification  of  the  Church ;  /  trufi  in 
the  Lord  Jefus  Chr'tfi,  io  fend  Timoiheus  fhorily  urtto 
you*  I  truft  in  the  Lord,  that  I  alfo  my f elf /hall  come 
Jhortly.  This  is  an  acknowledgment  of  his  provi. 
dential  Government. 

I  have  had  occafion,  in  the  former  difcourfe,  to 
fay  fomething  concerning  our  hope  in  Chrift.  I 
refer  you  to  what  has  been  there  faid  concerning  the 
C(^d  of  Hope,  the.  Hope  of  Ifrael,  the  Hepe  of  glory, 
and  the  hope  that  we  have  in  Chrift,  who  is  called. 
Our  Hope*  We  proceed  to  fhew,  that  to  love  the 
Lord  Jefus,  as  we  are  commanded  to  do,  is  an  a*^ 
of  religious  worihip.  It  will  not  be  denied,  that 
it  is  our  duty  to  love  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  ;  the 
Only  queftion  is  this^  how  are  we  to   love   him  ?  I 

anfv/er, 


^     7^     ^ 

anfwer,  we  are  to  love  hiai  more  than  we  love  our 
neighbour,  more  than  we  love  our  neareft  and 
deareft  relations,  more  than  we  love  ourfelves^ 
more  than  we  love  our  lives.  To  fhew  the  great- 
nefs  of  this  love  to  Chrift,  it  is  even  called  an  hating 
of  all  our  neareft  relatives,  and  of  our  own  lives. 
The  words  are  figurative  indeed,  but  they  are  very 
ftrong,  and  cxprcflivc  of  the  intenfity  of  that  love, 
with  which  we  fhould  love  our  Lord  and  Saviour  t 
If  any  man  come  to  me,  faith  Chrift,  and  hate  not  his 
father,  and  mother,  and  ivife,  and  children,  and 
brethren^  and  jifterSy  yea,  and  his  Qwn  life  alfo,  he 
cannot  he  my  difciple**  What  manner  of  love  is 
this  ?  If  a  difciple  muft  thus  love  Chrift,  if  he  muft 
love  him  more  than  all  his  neareft  and  deareft  rela- 
tions, then  he  muft  love  him  with  all  his  heart, 
with  all  his  foul,  and  with  all  his  mind.  But  this 
is  that  love  which  is  required,  in  the  firft  and  great 
commandment  ;  Thou  fhalt  hve  the  Lord  thy  God 
with  all  thine  heart  ;  and  with  all  thy  foul,  and  with 
all  thy  mind.  Thus  it  is  that  we  are  to  love  God  ; 
and  we  are  to  love  our  neighbour  as  ourfelves.  The 
diftinclion  between  our  love  to  God,  and  our  love 
to  our  neighbour,  is  very  obvious :  It  is  not  our 
duty  to  love  any  Being  but  our  God,  more  than  we 
love  ourneighbour,  our  neareft  and  deareft  relations^ 
and  even  our  own  lives ;  but,  thus,  it  is  our  duty  to 

love 

*  Luke  xiT.  26* 


^    79    <^ 

love  the  Lord  Jefus.      For  his  fake,    it  Is  our  duty 

to    lay   down   our  lives,  if  in  the  courfe   of  divine 

providence,  we  fhould  be  called  to  fuffer  for  him  and 

his  caufe,  rather  than  deny   him.       Be   thou  faithful 

unto  death,  faith    the   Lord  Jefus,    and  I  will  give 

unto  thee  a  crown  of  life »     And  again,   whofoever  will 

fave   his    lije,  /Jjall  lofe  it  ;    and  whofoever    will  lofe 

his  life  for  my  fake,  [hall  find  it.     Who  fhall  feparate 

us  from   the   love  of   Chrift?    Shall  tribulation,    or 

diftrefs,  or  perfecution,  or  famine,  or   nakednefs,  or 

peril,  or  fword  ?  Thefe  calamities,  were  no  proof  that 

Chrift    did    not    love    his    fuffering    difciples,     did 

not  feparate  them  from    his    grace  and  love  ;     nor 

could   thefe   dreadful  afflidions  force  the  difciples  to 

deny  Jefus.     Their  love,  through  grace,   was  proof 

againft  thefe  attacks ;  as  it    is  written j  for  thy  fake 

we  are  killed  all  the  da)  long  ;  -we  are  accounted  as  fJ:eep 

for  the  flaughter  ;*  nay,  in   all   thefe   things   we  are 

more   than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us.      And 

again   in    the   book   of  the   Revelations,    it   is  fnid, 

that   they  overcame  their   enemy,  the  evil  one,  hy  the 

blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  their  tefiimony  ; 

find  they    loved  not  their  own  lives  unto  the    death, -^ 

What  manner  of  love  is  this  ?   It  is  our  love   to  that 

Saviour,   who   died   for  us,  and    whofe   love  to   us 

paflTeth    knowledge.       How   are  we  to  teftify    our 

Jove    to    God  ?     By    keeping   his    commandments ; 

This, 
♦  Rom.  viii.  36,         t  Rev.  xii,  11. 


^     8o     0^ 

This  is  the  love  of  God  that  we  keep  his  commandments* 
How  are  we  to  teftify  our  love  to  Chrift  ?  by  keep- 
ing his  commandments  ;  //  ye  love  me,  fays  Chrift, 
keep  my  commandments.  He  that  fayeth  I  know  him, 
andkeepeth  not  his  commandments,  is  a  liar,  and  the 
truth  is  not  in  him.  But  who/o  keepeth  his  word,  in 
him  verily  is  the  love  of  Cod  perfeeied. 

I  fhall  conclude  this  difcourfe,  with  fome  obferva- 
tions  upon  the  ordinances  of  baptifm  and  the 
Lord's  Supper  ;  for  in  thefe  ordinances  the  Lord 
Jefus  is  religioufly  worihipped.  They  prove  that 
he  is  the  objed  of  religious  worfhip;  and  this  proves 
that  he  is  oar  Lord,  and  our  God.  And  what  is 
baptifm  ?  Is  it  a  civil  inftitution  ?  or  is  it  a  holy 
ordinance,  a  religious  rite,  a  Sacrament  of  the  New 
Teftamcnt,  a  fign  and  feal  of  the  new  covenant? 
For  our  prefent  purpofe  it  is  fufficient  to  confider 
Baptifm,  as  a  religious  ordinance  inftituted  by 
the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  :  Indeed,  as  to  the  prefent 
argument,  it  is  fufficient  that  it  is  a  rehgious  infti- 
tution, the  obfervance  of  which,  is  enjoined  in  the 
word  of  God  ;  and  that  in  the  celebration  of  this 
ordinance,  God  is  obeyed,  honoured,  and  worihip. 
ped.  If  the  Father  is  worihipped  in  this  ordinance, 
how  is  he  worihipped  ?  The  perfon  who  adminifters 
Baptifm,  and  the  perfon  baptifed,  if  adult,  and  the 
believing  parent  dedicating  his  child  to  God  the 
Father,  in  the  bonds  of  his  holy  covenant,  acknow- 
ledge 


^     8x     0^ 

ledge  him  to  be  their  God,   and  profefs  their  faith 
and  hopein  him.       If  to  baptize,  or  to  receive  bap- 
lifm    in  the  name  of  God   the  Father,  is  an  act  of 
rehgious  worlhip  ;    what  is  it,  to    baptize,  or    to  be 
baptized  in  the   name  of  tl)e  Son,   and  in    the  name 
of  the  Holy   Ghoft,    are   there    three    diftind  bap- 
tiOns,    one,   in    the  name    of  the    Father,     who   is 
acknowledged    to    be  the  true    God,    a^d    is    to  be 
worfnipped  ;   and   two  other  baptifms,  in  the   nams 
of  two  perfons,  not  divine,  and  therefore  not  to  be 
worfliipped  ?     The  ChriHian   baptifm,    is   one  ;     and 
is  adminificred   in   the   name   of  the  Father,    and  of 
the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghofl.     In   this  ordinance, 
accoriing  to  the  words  of  Inftitution,  thefe    names 
are  ufed   conjointly,   and    co-ordinately;     it   is    not 
lawful  to  omit  the  name  of  the  Father,   or  the  name 
of  the  Son,  or  the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghoft :    and  if. 
thefe  names  muft  be  ufed  conjointly,    they   muft  be 
ufed    co-ordinately.       The  queftion,   at  prefent,  is 
this;  is  there  any    a£l  of  religious  woifjiip  exercifcd 
towards  the  Son  ?  is  he  worfliipped  in  this  ordinance  > 
I    anfwer    that   he    is  ;    becaufe    it    is   unlawful    to 
baptize  in  the  name  of  one  who  is  not  the  objeft  of 
religious  worfhip.     The  Apoftle  abhorred   the   idea 
of  baptizing   in   his  own  name  ;     ivas  Paul  cruel fied 
for  y 014  ?  or  where yc  baptized  in  the  nu?7ie  cf  Pcid P  I 
thank  God,    that  I  baptized  none  of  you,  hat  Cr'i^pus 
andGaius,  left   any  fkould  fay,  that  I  held  bi\ptized  in 


If  it  ihould  be  obje£led,  that  the 
children  of  Ifrael  were  biiptized  unto  Mofes,  In  the 
cloud  and  in  the  jea  ;  let  it  be  obferved,  that  Mofes 
was  a  type  of  Chrift,  and  that  this  baptifm  in  the 
cloud  and  in  the  fea,  was  typical.  The  word, 
Baptifm,  does  not  always  (ignify  a  religious  infti- 
tution  to  be  obferved  by  the  Church  ;  it  fometimes 
fignifies  a  particular  difpenfation  of  divine  provi- 
dence. The  children  of  Ifi-ael  were  all  under  the 
cloud,  and  all  palled  through  the  fea,  and  were  all 
baptized  unto  Mofes,  in  the  cloud,  and  in  the  fea. 
By  this  difpenfation  of  divine  providence,  Ifrael 
was  taught  to  confider  Mofes  as  the  perfon  that  God 
had  raifed  up  and  appointed  to  be  their  leader  ;  and 
were  encouraged  to  follow  him,  as  on«  having  a 
divine  conimiflion  to  bring  them  out  of  the  land  of 
their  captivity.  But  will  any  one  fay,  that  the 
children  of  Ifrael  were  baptized  unto  Mofes,  as  we 
are  baptized  into  Chrift?  where  they  baptized  in  the 
name  of  Mofes  ?  did  they  put  on  Mofes,  as  Chriftians 
put  on  Chrift  ?  were  they  baptized  into  his  death  p 
was  Mofes  crucified  for  then*  ?  or  was  he  the  author 
and  finifher  of  their  faith  ?  Mofes  was  not  that 
fpintual  meat,  of  which  all  Ifrael  eat  ;  nor  was  he 
that  fpi^ituai  rock,  of  which  all  Ifrael  drank  ;  but 
Chrift  was.  The  Lord  Jcfus  Chrift  is  the  bread  of 
life  ;  and  that  fpi ritual  rock  of  which  ifrael  drank  ; 
thai  rock  was  Chrift*  f  But,  to  bring  this  matter  to 
-ig  a  fhore 

leather.' 

*  i.  Cor.  I,  14.         Cor.  x.  3,  4, 


»     S3     c^ 

a  fliort  ilTue  ;   we  are  eitiier  bound   to  wor/liip  Chr'ft 
in  this  ordinance,  or  we   are  not;  if  not,  why  is  his 
name  ufed  obje6iively  in  a  religious  ordinance?  and 
why  did  Ananias  exhort  Paul  to  be  baptized,  and    to 
wa fn  away  his  fins,  calling  upon  the  name  of  the  Lordl 
If  Chrift  is  to  be  worfhipped  in  this  ord  nance  ;  is    it 
an  inferior  worHiip  that  he  is  iniitled  to  ?       It  is  not. 
This  is  evident,  from  the  nature  of  religious  worfhip  5 
and   made    level    to  every    capacity,  by    an  exprels 
revelation  of  the  Divine  will ;  namely,  that  all  men 
Jh^u Id  honour  the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the  Father, 
Religious    worfliip,    in    a    certain    fenfe,    admits    of 
degrees,  fome  are  by  grace  enabled   to   worfiiip  more 
fervently,  and    with   more    exalted    afFedions,    than 
others  are  ;  but  as  the  objedl    of  religious  worfhip  is, 
infinitely    perfect,    infinitely   glorious,  and    infinitely 
v/orthy   to  be    worfhipped ;     there    cannot    be    any 
worfiiip  to  which  he  is  not  intitled. 

With  regard  to  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, let  it  be  confidered  as  a  religious  commemo- 
rative inftifution,  and  this  is  the  very  leafl  that  can 
be  faid  of  it,  unlefs  we  take  it  to  be  a  luiman  in- 
vention, or  a  flate  Tefl  to  be  ufcd  in  qualifying 
for  civil  offices.  I  do  not  mean  to  inquire,  by  uhat 
authority  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrifl  inflitured  this 
ordinance  ;  nor  to  argue  from  his  being  the  Inft'tu- 
tpr,  in  favour  of  his  divinity  ;  all  that  is  necefTary 
for  our  prefent  purpofe,  is^  that  the  Lord's  Supper 


^^     84    «^ 

is  a  religious  ccmmemcrative  ordinance.     And   who 
will  ueny  that  it    is?       That   it   is    a   very  Idemn 
ordinance  of  our  holy  relig'on,  will  not  be  denied  by 
?.ny  one  that  pays  due  reg  .  d  to  thefe  words  of  the 
Apoftle  :  Js  often  as  ye  ea^  tuis   bread,  and  drink  this 
cup,  ye  dofljew  the  Lord^s death  till  he  come^       Where- 
fore^  whofoever  fball  eat  this  bread,    and  drink  this  cup 
of  the  Lord,  unworthily  Jball  be  guilty  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  the  Lord*      But  let  a  man  examine  himjdfj  and 
fo  lei  him   eat   of  that  bread  and  drink  of  that  cup. 
For  he  that  eateih  and  drinketh  unworthily,    eateih  and 
drinketh  damnation,  or,  as  the  word  may  be  rendered, 
Judgment    to     him/elf,    not   difctming    the     Lord's 
hod\\     For  this  cau/e  many  are  -weak  andjickly  among 
you,  and  many  fleep.^     This  ordinance   of  our  holy 
relif^ion,  is   commemorative;    do   this,  faith    Chrift, 
in  refnembrance  ofme*    The  perfon  who  is  commemo- 
rated  in  a   religious  ordinance,  is   rehgicufly    com- 
ineaioraied.     And  what  is  religious  commemoration  ? 
It  is  religious  worlhip,  a    duty   which  we   owe   to  - 
God  alone.     The  end  of  religious  commemoration, 
is  thankfgiving  ;   fmg  unto    the  Lord,  0  ye  faints  of 
his,  and  give  thanks  at  the  remembrance  of  his  hoUne/s. 
Return,    0   Lord,    deliver  my  J^ul,  Oh  I  Jave  me  for 
thy  mercies  fake*     For  in  death  there  is  no  remembrance 
of  thee:    In  the  grave,  who  fn  all  give  thee   thanks  I 
If  thankfgiving  is  the  chief  end  of  religious  comme- 
moration, 
*  I.  Cor.  >:1.  2.6,  •  - 


^0      85      e^ 

moration,  then,  the  Lord  Jef'us  Chrift,  who  is  rtii- 
gioufly  commemorated  in  the  Lord's  Supper,  is  to  be 
praifed  with  thankfgiving,  for  his  redeeming  love. 
To  what  purpofe  do  we  fliew  forth  his  death?  to 
what  purpofe  do  we  remember  him  ?  to  what  purpofe 
do  we  commemorate  his  dying  love,  over  the  Sym- 
bols of  his  body  broken,  and  his  blood  flied  for  the 
reniiiTion  of  fins,  if  we  do  not  acknowledge  him  to  be 
our  redeeming  Saviour,  and  if  we  do  not  praife  him 
with  thankfgiving  ?  Is  it  not  our  duty  to  praife  the 
Lord  Jefus,  at  his  table,  and  to  give  thanks  at  the 
remembrance  of  his  loving  kindnefs  and  his  tender 
mercies  ?  unto  him  that  loved  us  and  iva/hed  us  from 
our  fins  in  his  own  hkod,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and 
-priejh  unto  God  and  his  father y  to  him  be  glory  and 
dominion  for  ever,  Amen-> 


SERMON  FOURTH. 


John  ioth  Chap.  28th  Verfe. 


^fid  7'homai  anfwered  and  fat  d  unto  him,  my  Lord  and 
my  God, 


I 


N  this  difcouiTe,   I  will  endeavour  to  give  a  gene- 
ral anfwcr  to  objedlors. 


The  objedions  to  the  dod^.'-ine  of  the  Divinity  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour,  are  neither  fo  numerous,  nor 
fo  various,  as  fome  are  apt  to  imagine ;  they  are  all 
reducible  to  two  clalTes,  and  are  derived  from  two 
fources,  Reafon,  and  Revelation  :  We  do  not 
mean  that  either  Reafon  or  Revelation  affords  any 
folid  foundation  for  thefe  objedlions  ;  but  objeftors 
appeal  to  Reafon,  or  to  Revelation,  and  moft  gene- 
rally to  both,  and  confider  thefe  as  the  foundation  of 
their  objections  and  arguments. 

As 


^     8;     0^ 

As  to  objeflions  of  the  former  clafs,  before  wc 
yield  to  their  force,  we  fliould  he  aflured  that  we 
have  carefully  and  impartially  coniidered  the  fubje<^  ; 
and  that  thefe  objedions  are^  either,  felf  evident 
propofitions,  or  juft  conclulions,  drawn  from  clear, 
evident,  and  rational  premifes,  and  not  oppofitions 
Qf  fcicnce,  falfely  fo  called,  luhichfome  profeffwg,  havs 
erred  concerning  the  faith*  But  above  all,  we  fhould 
remember  that  the  light  of  nature,  or  human  reafon, 
is  not  competent  to  decide  againll  the  truth  of  any 
doctrine,  which  it  could  not  difcover,  and  v/hich 
when  revealed,  it  cannot  comprehend;  provided, 
this  dodrine  contains  in  it  nothing  ablurd  or  con- 
tradidory  to  reafon-  The  human  mind  is  not 
omnifcient ;  our  knowledge,  at  beft,  is  limited,  and 
the  entrance  of  {in  into  the  heart  has  impaired  our 
faculties,  at  leaft  with  regard  to  things  fpiritual  and 
divine  :  but  granting  that  this  is  not  the  cafe,  and 
that  the  human  mind  is  in  as  high  a  ftate  of  perfec- 
tion as  ever  it  was,  yet  certainly  there  may  be  many- 
things  which  human  reafon  cannot  find  out  unto 
perfedion. 

If  any  perfon  fhould  advance  a  myfterious  dodrine, 
and  acknowledge  that  it  is  not  revealed  in  the  word 
of  God;  if  it  does  not  contradidl  my  reafon,  nor  the 
word  of  God,  i-t  may  be  true,  for  any  thing  I  know  5 
but  the  queftion  is,  have  I  fufiicient  evider.ce  that  it 
is  true.     If  another  perfon  fiiould  advance  a  myfteri- 

ous 


^     88    c^ 

ous  doctrine,  and  aflert  that  it  is  contained  in  the 
holy  fcriptures  ;  then  it  is  reafonable  that  I  ihould 
confult  the  facred  records,  with  a  view  to  find  out 
the  truth  or  falfehood  of  this  aiTertion  ;  and  if  this 
dodrine  is  not  contained  in  the  fcriptures,  my  ^airh  is 
no  way  concerned  in  it,  even  though  the  doctrine 
fliculd  not  be  contradictory  to  reafon. 

Again,  if  a  certain  dodrine  fhould  be  advanced, 
as  a  myfterious  dddrine  contained  in  the  word  of 
God,  and  if  I  could  perceive  that  this  dodrine,  in- 
flead  of  being  a  divine  myftery,  was  a  palpable 
abfurdity,  I  might  fafely  conclude  that  it  had  no 
foundation  in  the  word  of  God.  But  if  fome  perfon 
fhould  advance  a  myfterious  dodrine,  and  if  upon 
fearching  the  fcriptures,  I  find  this  doctrine  clearly 
revealed;  I  may  fafely  prefume  that  it  is  neither 
contradiftory  to  reafon,  nor  to  that  general  revela- 
tion; of  which  it  is  a  part..  If  upon  the  ftrideft  ex- 
amination, I  cannot  find  in  this  dodtrine,  any  thing 
contrary  to  reafon  ;  and  as  the  do£trine  may  there- 
fore be  true,  fo,  being  revealed  in  the  word  of  God, 
it  mufl:  he  true  :  and  as  to  pafi'ages  of  the  fame  gene- 
ral revelation,  which  may  feem  to  be  in  oppofition  to 
the  doctrine,  it  is  my  duty  to  endeavour  to  reconcile 
them  to  the  doctrine,  in  fuch  a  manner  as  flrall  pro- 
duce a  perfeft  harmony  ;  which  can  be  efFeded,  with 
regard  to  the  dodrine  of  Chrift's  divinity  iand  with 
great  facility.     A  dodrine  which  is  clearly  revealed 

in 


in  the  word  of  God,  is  not  to  be  denied,  given  up, 
or  explaiwed  away,  on  account  of  fome  paffages  of 
fcripiure,  which  may  feem  to  militate  againft  it ;  for 
the  oppofition  may  be  only  apparent,  not  real. 

I  prefume  it  will  not  be  denied,  that  Jefus  Chrifl, 
the  Son   of  the  Virgin  Mary,   was  really  and  truly 
a  Man.     This  is  a   truth  frequently  alTerted  in    the 
facred  fcriptures,  and  cannot  be  denied.     Neverthe- 
lefs,  this   fame  Jefus  has  divine    attributes  afcribed 
unto   him  ;  is  called  Jehovah;  is   called    God;    is 
called  King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords  ;   and  is  the 
objed  of  religious  worHiip.     Shall  we  therefore  deny 
that  Jefus  Chriil:  is  rsally   and    truly    a  man?      This 
we  cannot  do    without  contradicting   the  fcriptures, 
and  without  denying  an    eftabliihcd   and  indubitable 
fact  :    If  then,  divine  attributes,  divine  names   and 
titles  afcribed,    and   divine  worihip  paid  unto  Jefus 
are  not  (uffirient  to  warrant  us  to  deny  his  humanitv  ; 
why  Ihould  the  attributes  of  finlefs  humanity,  war- 
rant us  to  deny  his  divinity?      Are  thefe   two  propo- 
fitions,    viz.    Chrift   is    God,     and  Chrift    is     man, 
contradictory  ?   If  we   admit  the  fir  ft,  muft  we  rejedt 
the    latter?     or  if  we   admit    the   latter,    mud    we 
reject  the  former  ?     By  no  means  ;  we  are  under  no 
fuch  neceffity.  -  It  is  not  contradictory  to  reafon,  lo 
fay  that  Chri^lt  is  both   God  and  man  ;   but  unlefs  we 
admit  this  propofition  to  be   true,  we  are    under    the 
Heceflity  of  charging  the  Icriptures  with    felf-contra- 

N  diaion 


^      90      c^ 

dit^ion  3ild  miift  give  up  either  one  or  other  of  th^fe 
dodrines  :  We  muftgive  up  the  ("criptures,  as  records 
that  cannot  be  depended  upon* 

This  dodrine  of  the  hypoftatic  union,  namely, 
that  the  Lord  Jefus  Chriil  is  bcth  God  and  luan, 
and  yet  but  one  perion,  one  Cbrift,  is  not  contradie- 
tory  to  reafon-  It  is  indeed  a  great  myltery  ;  it  is 
the  great  myftery  of  Godhnefs.  It  is  not  contradic- 
tory to  reafon,  to  afTert  that  a  man  is  a  bemg 
ccnililing  of  foul  and  body  j  but  this  alfo  is  a  great 
fnyftery* 

But  ibme  may  fay,  what  have  we  to  lIo  with 
jmyfteries  ?  I  anfwer,  much  more  than  many  are 
willing  to  acknowledge.  There  are  myfteries  in  the 
Chriftlan  rehgion,  which  are  revealed,  declared  and 
made  known  unto  us  m  the  facred  ictiptures;  and 
if  we  acknowledge  the  fcripture  to  be  the  word  of 
that  God  who  does  nothing  in  vain,  we  muft  confefs 
that  thefe  myfteries  were  revealed  to  anfwer  fome 
important  purpofe,  with  regard  to  the  glory  of  God, 
and  the  interefc  of  our  immortal  fouls. 

Are  there  no  myfteries  in  the  natural  world?  yes, 
there  are  fads,  there  are  many  things  which  we 
cannot  fully  underftand  nor  find  out  unto  perfedion  : 
There  arc  many  things  too  high  for  us,  and  which 
fay  unto  our  underftandings,  thus  far  and  no  farther* 
And  this  we  experience  in  our  fcarch  after  the  know- 
ledge 


ledge  of  natural  things,  when  we  stte  npt  to  invcf- 
tigate  the  caufes  of  things,  the  connexion  between 
caufc  and  effect,  and  the  manner  how  the  caufe  acls 
in  producing  its  proper  efFed.  There  are  natural 
myfteries ;  and  the  Philofopher  is  not  alhamed  to 
pay  particular  attention  to  thefe  things,  nor  to 
write  his  thoughts  and  pubhfh  his  diftoveries  to  the 
world  ;  thefe  writings  are  read  with  pleafnre,  and 
they  contribute  to  increafe  our  knowledge,  while  at 
the  fame  time  they  teach  us  this  humiiia'-ing  Icffbn, 
that,  comparatively,  we  know  nothing,  or  that  the 
things  which  we  know  are  very  difproportionate  to 
the  things  that  we  do  not  know.  What  man  can 
explain  the  nature  of  his  (ouPs  connexion  with  his 
body  ;  or  the  manner  how  the  foul  acts  upon  his 
body,  and  is  adled  upon  ?  How  does  fpirit  a6t  upon 
matter?  It  is  a  myftery  to  me  at  this  moment, 
how  an  a<5l  of  my  will  moves  the  mufcles  of  my  hand 
in  writing  ;  and  it  muft  be  a  myftery  to  'he  reader* 
how,  by  means  of  the  eye,  his  n'ind  is  made  ac- 
quainted with  my  thoughts  :  for  though  words  are 
marks  or  figns  of  ideas,  and  are  agreed  upon  as 
fuch,  yet  thefe  queftions  remain  unanfwered,  name- 
ly, what  is  the  connexion  between  a  vilible  mark 
and  a  thought  of  the  mind,  or  how  does  an  Image 
of  the  mark  upon  the  retina,  produce  thonghv  ? 
What  is  the  connexion  between  thought  and  the 
expanfion  of  the  optic  nerve?  There  are  myfteri  s 
innumerable,   in  the  natural  world  j    and  there  are 

Hiyileries 


fnyfterJcs  in  the  moral  world :  We  find  them  in 
natural  religion,  in  God's  moral  Government,  and 
in  the  difpenTations  of  Provideiice.  It  may  therefore 
be  prefiimeJ,  that  in  revealed  religion,  and  in  the 
difpenfations  of  grace,  there  are  myfleries  which,  if 
revealed  religion  is  of  high  importance,  are  highly 
important.  If  natural  religion  cannot  be  without 
myfieries,  becaufe  God  is  Infinite  and  cannot  be 
found  out  unto  perfeclion,  revealed  religion  mull 
contain  myfteries^  for  the  fame  reafon. 

As  Revelation  contains  fevcral  dodrines  which  the 
light  of  nature  could  never  have  difcovered  ;  fo  it 
is  highly  reafonablc  to  conclude,  that  in  thefe  doc- 
trines there  may  be  fomething  myi^erious ;  and  that 
reafon,  which  could  not  make  the  difcovery,  may 
not  be  able  to  comprehend  the  whole  of  thefe  reve- 
lations or  revealed  do6lrines.  May  there  not  be 
fome  dodrirco  which  we  cannot  comprehend  when 
revealed,  as  well  as  doctrines  which  we  could  net 
find  out  without  revelation  ? 

As  God  is  infinite  and  therefore,  incomprehen- 
fible ;  as  his  judgments  are  unlearchahlcy  and  his 
'w^ys  pa/}  finding  out  ;  a  revelation  from  God,  rela- 
tive to  Himfeif  and  his  unfearchable  judgments, 
muft  contain  myfleries.  But  to  fliew  clearly,  that 
there  arc  myfleries  in  the  Chrillian  religion,  I  fhall 
produce  feveral  inflances.  Firft,  the  refurrcdion  of 
the  body,    is   a  dodrine  of  revelation,  and   it  is  a 

myflerious 


»    93     ^ 

myfterious  dodrine.  No  man  v/ill  venture  to  Cay 
that  he  is  able  to  comprehend  how  God  raifes  the 
dead  body,  any  more  than  he  comprehends  how  God 
caufed  him  to  be  conceived  in  the  womb  ;  but  God 
has  dechired  that  the  dead  body  fli^ll  be  r<iifed 
immortal  ;  this  mortal  muft  put  on  immortality, 
and  this  corruptible  mud  pur  on  incorruption. 

There  is  certainly  Ibmething  myfterious  in  the 
doi^trine  of  the  refurreftion  ;  for  fays  the  Apoftle, 
heholdy  I  Jkc-u)  ynu  a  myflery  ;  the  dead  Jloall  he  raifed 
incarruptikle,  and  wc  Jjjall  be  chau^ed^  Here  are 
many  chings  we  canuo':  Hnd  ou':  unto  perfection  :  we 
cannot  tell  the  nature  of  thar  change  which  thofe  who 
fiiall  not  fleep,  ihall  undergo  at  the  coming  of  the 
Lord  Jefus  ;  but  God  knows  it,  and  it  ftiould  not 
be  thought  an  incredible  thing  that  God  fliouid  raife 
the  dead  body  or  change  the  living. 

The  relation  of  Chrift  to  his  Church,  is  a  myftery, 
a  great  myflery  ;  yet  i:  is  aflsrted  that  he  and  his 
Ckurch  are  one  body.  Have  we  nothing  to  do  with 
this  myftery  ?  Or  are  we  not  to  believe  it,  unlefs 
we  are  able  to  underftand  or  explain  the  precife 
nature  of  this  connexion  >  We  know  fome  reafons 
why  Chrift  and.his  Church  are  called  one  body  myfti- 
cal  ;  there  rriay  be  other  reafons  which  none  but 
omnifcience  knows;  but  if  divine  wifdom  had  given 
us  no  reafon  in  this  matter,  the  declaration  cf  the 
Apoftle    is   fufficient  to  afcertain    the  facl,  namely, 

tl^at 


»     94     ^ 

diat  Chriil  and  his  Church  are,   in  a  certain    fenfe, 
one  body. 

In  the  difpenfations  of  grace,  revealed  religiot^ 
i]le^^^8.  us  myfleries,  as  natural  religion  Ihews  us  niy- 
ileries  in  the  rourfe  of  divine  Providence.  The 
Apoftle  afTeris  that  blindnefs  in  part,  happened  untQ 
lirael,  until  the  fulnefs  of  the  Gentiles  be  come  in  ; 
and  that  this  was  a  wife  dirpenfation  ot  God  ;  I  am 
certain  it  was  a  myfterioias  one,  and  that  it  is  one  of 
thole  ways  of  God  vv^hich  are  pail  finding  out.  1 
would  net  brethren,  fays  the  Apoltle,  that  yejhould 
he  ignorant  of  this  myfiery^  lej}  ye  foould  he  wife  in  your 
pixfn  conceits,  thai  hl'indne/s  in  part  is  happened  unto 
Jjrael,  until  the  julnefs  of  the  Gentiles  he  come  in^- 
Here  is  a  myftery  of  which  the  Apoftle  would  not 
have  his  brethren  ignorant,  therefore  fomething 
may  be  known  concerning  myfteries  ;  he  would  not 
have  them  ignorant  of  the  fact,  though  the  divine 
procedure  in  this  matter  is  infcrutable  5  as  appears 
in  the  conclufion  of  this  chapter,  where  the  Apoftle; 
refolves  the  whole  of  this  difpenfation,  into  the 
■wifdom,  the  knowledge,  and  fovereignty  of  God; 
0  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wijdom  and  know- 
ledge of  Cod !  hovj  unfearchable  are  his  judgments, 
and  his  ways  paf}  finding  out  J  For  who  hath  known 
the  mind  of  the  Loi'd,  or  who  hath  been  his  Counfelior  .^, 
Or  who  hathfirfl  given  him,  and  it.  fhall  he  recompcH' 
fed  unto  him  again  P    For  of  him,  and  through  him, 


^    95    ^ 

arid  to  htm  are  all  things  ;   to  -whom  he  glory  for  ever^ 

Amen*^ 

This  myftery  was  not  declared  or  made  known 
IQ  the  church  merely  for  fpeculation,  but  to  jfbew 
the  vanity  of  human  wifdom,  to  prevent  the  dif- 
ciples  from  being  wife  in  .their  own  conceits,  and  m 
teach  them  humility.  This  fame  Apoftle  fpeaks  of 
his  knowledge  in  the  myftery  of  Chr'ift  ;  and  in  the  clole 
of  his  epiftle  to  the  Romans  he  ufes  thefe  remarka- 
ble words,  now  to  him  that  is  of  power  to  ftablijh 
youy  according  to  my  gofpel,  and  the  preaching  of  Jelus 
Chrlft,  according  to  the  revtlation  of  the  myfttry,  wRch 
was  kept  fecretf  nee  the  world  began  ;  hut  Is  now  rnade 
rnanifedy  and  hy  the  fcrlptures  of  the  Prophet s^  accf^i. 
ding  to  the  commandment  of  the  everlafting  God^  mad: 
known  to  all  nations  for  the  obedience  of  falth^-\  Who- 
ever ferioufly  attends  to  thefe  words  of  the  infplred 
Apoftle,  will  fcarccly  venture  to  affert  that  we  have 
nothing  to  do  with  myfteries  in  religion  ;  feeing  a 
myftery  has  been  revealed  by  the  commandment  of 
the  everlafting  God>  for  the  obedience  of  faith* 

In  thefacredfcriptures,  there  are  dotlrines  revealed 
which  the  light  of  nature  could  never  have  difcovereil ; 
but  when  revealed  or  made  known,  they  appear 
perfectly  agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  found  reafon, 
admirably  luited  to  our  fituation  and  neceflities,  and 

every 

*  Romans  xi.  chap.         f  Romans  xvi.  2^,  26. 


i 


evfcry  way  worthy  of  a  Wife,  Holy,  Jufl  and 
Merciful  God.  Thele  doflrines  may  be  called 
myileries,  becaiife  the  light  of  reafon  could  never 
have  difcovered  them  ;  they  may  be  called  the  hidden 
things  which  revelation  huth  difcovered,  Hiore  ob- 
fcurely  or  inyfienGuriy  in  the  days  of  the  Fathers, 
and  of  the  Prophets,  but  v  ith  clearer  and  ftronger 
light  in  thegofpel  oiChrifl:  ;  and  they  may  ftill  with 
propriety  be  called  myileries,  becaufe  in  thefe  doc- 
trines which  reafon  approves,  and  faith  rejoices  to 
believe,  there  is  an  height,  to  which  our  molt  ele- 
vated thoughts  cannot  foar,  a  length  and  breadth 
we  cannot  meafure,  and  a  depth  which  is  unfathoma- 
ble. 

The  fame  fcriptures  contain  fome  dodrines  which 
are  more  highly  myfterious  than  others  ;  there  are 
lefTer  and  greater  myftcries  in  the  chriflian  revelation  ; 
■we  can  fee  farther  into  fome  than  we  can  into  others, 
and  thefe  are  the  greatefl  myfteries,  in  which  reafon 
is  leaft  concerned,  and  faith  molt.  With  regard  to 
dodtrines  above  reafon,  divine  faith,  which  is  the 
fubftance  of  things  hoped  for,  and  the  evidence  of 
things  not  feeri,  refts  upon  the  teftimony  of  God, 
and  believes  upon  the  authority  of  the  holy  fcrip* 
ture>,  dodrines  which  reafon  cannot  comprehend. 

But  it  will  be  afked  what  are  we  to  believe  ?  Can 
we  believe  any  dodrine  or  propofition  evidently 
above  our  comprehenUon  ?  or  can  we  allert  or  deny 

any 


^     97    c^ 

any    propofitidn    concerning    fiich    matters?      Yes^ 
we  can   fay   that  God  is  Eternal  and  Infinite,  yet, 
God,  Eternity,  and   Infinity,  are   incomDrehenfible- 
We  can  fay   that  we  have  louls,  and    that  they  ac't 
upon  our  bodily  organs,  and   are  aiFedled   by   thefe 
organs,    but    we  cannot    comprehend     how.       We 
know  that  there  is  a  God,  but  that  he  is  unfearch- 
able  ;    we  know  that  he  has  exiited  from  all  eternity 
and  never  began  to  exift  ;  here  our  faculties  are  lofl: 
in   an  unfathomable  abyfs.     We  may  believe  more 
than  we  can  know,  or  there  can  be  no  fuch  thing  as 
faith  ;  all  things  that  can  be  known  by  us^  are   the 
objeds  of  the  underftanding  ;  things  that  cannot  be 
fully  known,  or  are  above   our   comprehenfion,  are, 
when  revealed,  the  proper  objeds  of  faith.      In  every 
fcripture  myftery,  there   is  fomething  of  which  we 
can   form   clear  and    diflincl   ideas;  there  is  always 
fomething  clear,  plain,  and  intelligible,  while  at  the 
fame  time  there  are  other  things  not  fo  clear,  and 
others   that  are  perfedly   incomprehenlible    by   us. 
We  will  endeavour  to  illuftrate  this  in   a  particular 
cafe,  and  by  an   inftance    which  is  diretlly  in  point* 
The    Apoftle,  writing    to    Timothy,    fays,    without 
controver/y  great  is  the  myjhry  of  Godlinefs  ;  God  10 as 
mantfej}  in   the    fl<JJ?,    juftified  in  the  Jpirii,  Jeen  of 
Angels  J  preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  helitved  on  in  the 
ivorldy  received  lip  into  glory **'      In   the    firft  place, 

it 

■:^  I.  Timothy,  iii.  i6» 

o 


5>o      p8      0^ 

it  is  very  obvious,  that  there  is  one  great  myflery  in 
the  Chriftian  revelation  ;  without  controverfy,  fayS 
the  Apoftle,  gr^at  is  the  inyftery  of  Godliriefs. 
Secondly,  the  Apoftle  alTerts  certain  fads,  and  it  is 
plain  that  he  had  foine  ideas  of  thefe  fads,  fom6 
ideas  annexed  to  the  words  whjch  he  ufed  in  his 
cpiftle,  and  thdt  Tiiiotliy,  to  whom  he  wrote, 
niio-ht  have  tome  ideas  of  the  Apoftle's  words ;  and 
conlequencly,  that  we  who  have  this  epiftle  to  read, 
may  alfo  have  fome  ideas  of  the  fads  recorded. 
God  was  manifelt  in  the  flefh  ;  God  was  juflified  in 
the  fpiril  ;  God  was  feen  of  Angels  ;  God  was 
preached  unto  the  Gentiles;  God  was  believed  on  in 
the  world  ;  and  God  was  received  up  into  glory  : 
All  thefe  proportions  are  contained  in  the  text  ; 
and  they  are  true,  if  the  word  of  God  is  true.  I 
fhall  confine  myfclf  to  the  firft  propofition,  namely^ 
God  was  manifeft  in  the  flefh;  and  whatever  this 
may  mean,  it  is  evident  that  God  was  manifeft  in 
the  flelh,  either  in  a  way  and  manner  that  we  can 
comprehend,  or  in  a  way  and  manner  that  we  cannot 
comprehend ;  bat,  that  he  was  manifeft  in  the  flefh, 
cannot  be  denied. 

We  have  fome  clear  and  diftind  ideas  of  God, 
though  none  that  are  adequate  to  his  nature  and 
perfedions;  and  we  have  fome  clear  and  diftind 
ideas  of  the  word,  fieOi ;  and  thus  we  may  form 
this   propofition :    viz.    God  appeared  in    the   flefh, 

that 


^    99    *€ 

that  is,  in  onr  nature.  The  Apoftle  Paul  fays,  that 
he  was  feen  of  Angels  ;  and  the  Apoftle  Jt)hn  fays, 
he  was  feen  of  men.  This  per  Ton  who  appeared  and 
was  feen  in  our  nature,  is  God  the  Son  ;  for  he  is 
the  peifon  who  was  juitified  in  the  fpirit,  preached 
unto  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the  world,  received 
up  into  glory. 

Farther,  the  Apoftle   John    fays,    the   F/ord    was 
mads  flefljy  and  dwelt  among    us  ;    and  ive   behsld  his 
glory ,  the  glory  as   of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father, 
full  nf  grace  and  truth*     Hence    it   follows,  that   he 
who  was  manifeft  in  the  flelh,  was  made  flelh  ;  now  as 
it  is  abfurd  to   fuppofe    that   the  divine  nature  could 
be    changed   into    the    human,    therefore,  we   mult 
have  recGurfe  to  other  pafTages  of  fcripture,  rel.umg 
to  the  fame  fiibjeJl,  for   more   light    and  informaticn 
in  this  matter  ;  for  thefe  words,  made  flefh  ;  cannot 
poflibly    fignify,    that    the    divine  nature  was   made 
the    human    nature,    or     changed   into    it.       Upon 
further  inquiry,  we    find,  that    the  fcriptures   fpeak 
more  fully  and  clearly  upon  this  fubjed  ;   and  we  are 
informed,  that    the  Son   of  God    rook   upon  him  the 
form  of  j^  fervant,  that  he  was  pofteflVd  of  the  divine 
nature,    that    he    was    in    the    form    of    God,    and 
thought    it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God  ;    that 
he  made  himfeJf  of  no  reputation,  took   upon    him 
the  form  of  a  fervant,  and  was  made  in  the  likenefs 
of  men.     I  fhall  quote   the   whole  pafTage,  as  it  will 
afcertain  foine  very  important  fads  which  will  help 

to 


lOO 


to  determine  what  meaning  we  are  to  annex  to  the 
words  above  n)entioned.  Let  this  mind  be  in  you, 
which  'ujas  alio  in  Chrifi  Jefus  :  Who  being  in  the  form 
of  God  f  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God  ;  hut 
made  himlelf  of  no  reputation^  and  took  upon  him  the 
form  of  a  fervant,  and  was  made  in  the  Ukenels  of  men  : 
and  being  found  in  fafJnon  as  a  man,  he  humbled  imjelf 
(und  became  obedient  unto  death ^  even  the  death  of  the 
crofs.  *  Here,  the  form  of  a  fervant  fignifies  the 
nature  of  a  fervant,  the  human  nature,  for  this 
was  the  nature  Chrift  took  upon  him,  if  he  took  any 
nature  upon  him  :  We  knovi'  that  he  did  not  take 
upon  him  the  nature  of  Angels,  but  we  know,  that 
fora/much  then  as  the  children  are  partakers  offefh  mtd 
blood,  he  aljo  himf elf  likewife  took  part  of  the  fame. 
We  know,  that  he  took  on  him  the  feed  of  Mr  ah  am  ; 
we  know  that  he  was  made  like  unto  his  brethren  ;  we 
are  affured  that  he  was  really  and  truly  man,  the 
Son  of  Mary,  and  defcended  from  the  fathers  of  the 
Jewifli  nation,  and  made  of  the  feed  of  David  accord- 
ing to  the  flefJj*  Here,  'the  word,  fleih,  fignifies  the 
human  nature  ;  and  this  is  the  nature  which  Chrifi 
took  upon  him,  when  he  took  upon  him  the  form  of 
a  fervant.  The  form  of  a  fervant^  therefore,  fignifies 
the  nature  of  a  fervant,  in  the  pafTage  above 
mentioned  ;  for  Chrift  was  not  the  femblance  of  a 
man,   he   v/as  really  and  truly    man  ;  and  whoever 

denies 

*  Philippians  ii.  chap. 


^       lOI       <^ 

(Jenles  that  Chrift  is  come  in  the  flefh,  that  is,  in  our 
nature,  is  an  anti-chrift,  as  faith  the  Apoftle.  If 
then,  the  form  of  a  fervent  dgrufies  the  nature  of  a 
fervant,  and  this  nature  is  the  human  nature,  uhich, 
and  which  alonC;  Chrift  toolc  on  him,  why  muft  the 
word,  form,,  in  the  firft  claule  of  the  verfe  fignify 
any  thing  lefs  than  nature  ?  the  form  of  God  is 
evidently  the  nature  of  Gfid  ;  and  this  expknation 
of  the  word,  which  is  abfolutely  necefTary,  with 
regard  to  the  iorni  of  a  fervant,  is  as  neceflary  with 
regard  to  the  form  of  God.  It  is  clear  therefore, 
that  Jefus  Chrift  the  Son  of  God,  was  in  the  form 
of  God,  before  he  took  upon  him  the  form,  the 
nature  of  a  fervant,  the  human  nature  ;  and  as  he 
v/ho  IS  pofreffed  of  the  divine  nature,  can  never  be 
difpoflefled  ot  it,  never  can  change  this  nature ;  fo, 
by  taking  upon  him  the  form  of  a  fervant,  he  di4 
not  ceafe  to  be  a  divine  perfon,  that  is,  God  ;  But 
as  we  cannot  comprehend,  how  he  has  taken  the 
human  nature  into  perfonal  union,  and  as  we  cannot 
conceive  the  manner  and  nature  of  this  union,  we 
confefs,  that  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God  is  an 
infcrutible  myftery,  one  of  thofe  things  that  omni- 
fcience  alone  can  perfecftly  know;  and  we  join  with 
the  Apoftle  in  acknowledging,  that  tvithcut  con' 
iroverjy,  great  is  the  myftery  of  Codlint/s ;  God  was 
man'ifeft  in  the  flefh*  But  vv-ould  it  not  be  impious, 
and  irrational  to  fay,  there  is  no  fuch  thing  as  tne 

myftery  of  Godlinefs,  or  that  it  is  not  a  great  ray- 
'' .^  ftcry, 


^J      102      c^ 

ftery,  or   that  G^d    was  not  manifeft   in   the  flelb, 
becaufe  we  cannot  comprehend  ihe  j  rtcle  nature  of 
this  manifeltation  ?     God  can  do   many    tiiiiigs   ihat 
we  cannot  cor.prehend  ;  he  has  done  nuiny'uiingS;  in 
the   works  of   nature,    providtnce,- and  grace^    that 
are    truly    myiterious  ;     his    wo.  ks-    are    wonderful, 
his  judgments   are   unfearchabie,    and   hy-    \^  .-^y     ..j(l 
finding  out.       The  words  which   the    i.  jU    ivr.kt  to 
his  lervant  Job,  out  of  rhe  whirlwind    niay  ^t  ^durtC^ 
fed   to  every  one  who   rejects  the  nvyiterie.oT  Cod^, 
bee iufe  he  cannot    uuderitand  "  theiu  perlectly   ■  ^ird 
up  n(rv  thy  loins  lik^  a  man,  for  I  will  demcmd  vj  thee 
and  anfvjtr  thou  me*      Where  waJJ  thou  when  I  laid  the 
foundations  of  the  earth  <'    declare  if  thou  hcji  under" 
Jianding.       Who  hath  laid  the  mea/ures  thtreof  if  ti  cu 
kno-ujeft  ;  or  vjho  hath  ft  retched  the  line  upon  it    where* 
upon  are  the  foundations  thereof  faflened^  or  who  luidtht 
corner  fi-nne  thereof  P    And   again,    haft  thou   entered 
into  the  Springs  of  the  fe a  ?     or  haft  thou  walked  in  the 
fearch  of  the  depth  ?  have  the  gates  of  death  heen  opened 
unto  thee  :    or  haft  thou  feen  the  doors  rf  the  fhadow  of 
death  P  hafi  thou  perceived  the  breadth   of  the  earth  P 
declare  if  thou  knowefi  it  alU    Where  is  the  place  where 
light  divelleth  P    and  as  for   the  darknefs,  where  is  th'e 
place  thereof ;    that  thou  fhouldft  take  it  to  the  bounds 
thereof y  and  that  thou  ftmuldft  know   the  paths  to  the 
houfe  thereof  P    Knowefl  thou  it  becaufe  thou  waft  then 
born,  or  becaufe  the  number  of  thy  days  is  great  P  haft 
thou  entered  into  the  trea/ures  ofthejnow  f  or  haft  thou 

feen 


^       103       c^ 

/een  the  ireaCures  of  the  hail^  which  I  have  refcrved 
againfl  the  time  of  trouble^  aga'inft  the  day  9/  battle  and 
ivar  P  By  what  way  is  the  light  parted,  which  feat' 
tereth  the  eaft  lutnd  Upon  the  earth  P  IVho  hath  divided 
n  water  courfefor  the  overflowhig  ofwat  rs  P  or  a  way 
for  the  lightning  of  thunder,  to  caufe  it  to  rain  on  th. 
earth  wh^ re  man  is ;  on  the  wildernefs  wherein  there 
is  no  man  ;  to  Jalisfy  the  defolate  and  wafle  ground, 
4ind  to  caufe  the  bud  of  the  tender  h^rb  to  fpring  forth  p 
Hath  the  rain  a  father  P  or  who  hath  begotten  the  drops 
9ft hf  dew  P  Knovfeft  thou  the  ordinxinces  cf  Heaven  P 
Canfh  thou  let  the  dominions  iherefifin  the  earth  P 

But  farther,  the  great  niyftery  of  Godlinefs  is 
aflTerted  by;the  Apolfie,  in  the  following  wcrds  :  viz. 
whofe  are  the  fathers,  'and  of  whom,  as  concerning  the 
flefh,  Chrift  came,  iDbo  is  over  all  God  bl (fed  for  ever^ 
Here,  Ghrif!  is  faid,  in  a  certain  fenfe  ;to  be  defcend- 
ed  from  the  Patriarchs  ;  this  fenfe  is  a  reftricled 
and  particular  one  ;  he  defcended  from  the  fathers 
of'the  Jewifli  nation,  as  corjcerning  the  fif/h,  as  to 
bis  fle(h,  or  his  human  nature,  and  that  nature  only. 
He  theretore  had  another  nature,  according  to  which 
as  has  been  already  obferved,  he  £\d  not  defcend 
from  them  ;  =nd  this  is  that  nature  in  virtue  of 
which,  he  is  called  the  ever-blefled  God.* 

Here, 


♦  It  has  been  fliewed  in  a  former  difcoiirfe,  in  what  fenfe 
Chrift  iscalled  God.  If  it  ihoiild  be  conildered  as  an  objec- 
tion tothe  dodrine  then  delivered,  that  thearticle  before  the 


^      104      e^ 

Here,  we  may  give  a  fatisfa£lory  anfwer  to  fdme 
important  queftions  which  our  Lord  alked  the 
Pharifees^  but  which  they  could  not  anfwer  ;  while 
the  Pharifees  were  gathered  together,  Jefus  afked  them, 
frying,  what  think  ye  of  Chrift  ^  whofe  fon  is  he  ? 
They  fay  unto  him  the  Son  of  David*  This  anfwer, 
in  a  certain  ienfe,  was  true  :  But  Jefus  faid  unto 
them,  how  then  doth  David,  in  fpirit  call  him  Lord  ? 
And  again,  if  David  then  call  him  Lord,  how  is  he 
his  Son?  And  no  man  was  able  to  anfwer  him  a  wcrd^ 
neither  durfl  any  mtin,  from  that  day  forth,  afk  him  any 
more  quejiions*  But^a  believer,  though' only  a  babe 
in  Chrift,  can  ealily  anfwer  thefe  qneft'ons  which 
were  too  hard  for  the  Pharifees,  who  were  wife  in 
their  own  eyes,  and  thought  that  wifdom  would  die 
with  them.  A  Chriftian  can  fay,  that  Chrift  was  the 
Son  of    David,    that   is,    deicendcd  from   him,  as 

concerning 


word  God,  in  the  original  language,  is  not  always  ufedwheii 
the  Son  js  called  God  ;  I  anfwer,  that. it  is  fgveral  times; 
ufed,  and  this  is  fuiricient  ;  for  if  it  is  a  diflinguifliing 
mark  of  true  and  proper  Deity,  then  it  llioiild  never  have 
been  prefixed  to  the  word,  God,  when  it  relates  tO' the  Son, 
if  he  is  not  really  and  truly  God.  As  to  fupreme  and.  fu- 
bordinate  Deity,  found  reafon,  as  well  as  fcripture,rejeds 
the  Idea.  But  it  is  perfeftly  unaccountable,  why  men  of 
learning  (houldlay  fiich  ftrefs  upon  thearticle,which,fromits 
minuteuefs  might  be,  and  I  doubt  not,  was  fometimes  forgot- 
ten by  tran  for  ibers.  How  can  we  cOnfider  the  article  as 
a  irark  of  true  Deity,  when  we  find  that  the  article  is  ufed 
in  that  paffage,  where  the  Devil  is  called  the.  God  of  this 
world  i 


»     105     c^ 

concerning  the  flelli  ;  and  that  David  under  the 
influence  of  the  fpirit,  called  Chrift  his  Lord,  and 
thereby  acknowledged  him  as  his  God.  The  root  of 
Davidy  that  is,  the  Creator  of  David,  was  in  a 
certain  fenfc  the  offspring  of  Davld»  After  v/hat  has 
been  faid  concerning  inyftcries,  and  the  great  myf- 
tery  qf  godlinefs,  in  particular,  I  prefume  it  cannot 
be  denied  that  there  are  two  diftinct  natures  in  the 
Perfonof  Jefus  Chrift.  In  fa£l,  though  this  dodrine 
is  mylrerious,  yet  it  is  clearly  revealed  in  the  word  of 
God  ;  and  we  are  obliged  by  neceflity  to  admit  of  its 
truth.  What  neceflity  •*  The  neceflity  of  recon- 
cilhig  one  part  of  Scripture  to  another,  which^ 
without  this  dodrine,  cannot  be  done  :  But  thi? 
dodrine,  in  conjunction  with  another,  nanjely,  thac 
the  Lcrd  Jefus  Chrift  is  Mediator  between  God  and 
man,  reconciles  one  portion  of  Scripture  to  another ^ 
and  efFedually  harmonizes  the  language  of  infpira* 
tion. 

To  fay    that    man  is  imnicrtal,   and   that  man   is 

mortal,  is   no  contradiction  ;     we   ufe  this  mode   of 

fpeaking,  and  do  not  conlider  ourfelves  guilty  of  any 

abfurdity,   or,    even  in^propriety  of  fpecch*       Why 

io  r   becaufc,  the   foul  of  man  is   immortal,   and   Irs 

body  is  mortal  ;  and  therefore,  very  different  things 

maybe  afHrmed'of  one  man,  yea,  things  that  would 

be  palpable    contradictions,    if    man  did  not  ^confift 

of  foul  and  body.       It  is  eafy  to  perceive,    that  the 

irft  propofition   aiTer.ts   that  man  j.^^   immorta],  ,ss  to 

hi?-, 
P 


^     io6    o^ 

his  foul,  and  the  fccond,  that  man  is  mortal  as 
to  his  body.  In  like  manner,  there  are  many  things 
faid  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  which  muft  be  con- 
fidered  as  diredly  contradidory  to  each  other,  if 
we  do  not  admit  both  his  Divinity  and  his  humani- 
ty ;  but  admitting  this  dodrine,  and  that  ot  his 
Mediatorial  Charadler  and  office,  it  is  eafy  to  re- 
concile all  the  terms  of  inferiority  and  of  fubordina- 
tion,  in  which  he  is  fpoken  of  with  thofe  which 
alTert  his  Divinity,  and  of  courfe^  his  equality  with 
the  Father. 

But  it  will  be  faid,  that  the  names.  Father,  and 
Son,  are  fufficient  to  fhew  that  the  Son  is  inferior 
to  the  Father  ;  we  anfwer,  that  before  this  Objec- 
tion can  have  any  weight,  it  muft  be  proved  that 
thefe  names  have  the  fame  fignification  when  appli- 
ed to  God  and  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  they 
l^ave  when  applied  to  men.  But  this  cannot  be 
done,  except  in  one  inftance,  namely,  that  the 
Son  has  the  fame  nature  his  Father  has  ;  and  to 
aflert  this  we  are  warranted,  nay,  obliged  by 
Scripture.  It  has  been  proved  that  the  Son  is 
pofTelTed  of  the  Divine  perfedlions,  and,  confe- 
quenily,  of  the  Divine  nature;  in  this  nature  there 
cannot  be  any  imperfection,  and  therefore  the  Son 
cannot  be  inferior  to  him  that  is  all-perfed.  As 
far  as  we  can  reafon  upon  this  fubjed  from  analog)^ 
and  that  is  no  farther  than  the  Scripture  allows 
osp  the  argument  is  in  our  favour. 

If 


^     107     c^ 

If  the  Son's  ohligation  to  ohediencCf  is  not  found- 
ed in  his  being  the  eternal  and  only  begotten  of 
the  Father  ;  if  from  his  Sonfliip,  we  cannot  infer 
his  obligation  to  obedience,  then  why  ihould  we 
infer  his  inferiority,  from  his  being  called  the  Son? 
Chrift's  obligation  to  obey,  arofe  trom  another  fource, 
as  it  is  plain  from  the  following  Scripture  ;  riz. 
Though  he  were  a  Sort,  yet  learned  he  obedience  by  the 
things  that  he  fuffered.  Thefe  words  might  be 
better  tranflated,  though  he  -was  Son.  Now,  if 
his  obligation  to  obedjence  was  founded  in  his  Son- 
ihip,  the  above  words  would,  I  preiume,  be  abfurd  ; 
for  inflead  of  the  adverfatives  though,  and  yet, 
the  words,  becaufe,  and  therefore,  would  have 
been  proper.  Let  it  be  remembered,  that  the  Jews 
underftood  thefc  names.  Father,  and  Son,  to  fig- 
nify  the  equality  of  the  perlons  fo  denominated  ; 
for  when  Chrift  called  God  his  Father,  the  Jews 
faid  that  he  made  himlelf  e^jual  "with  Cod.  And 
when  he  faid,  7  and  my  Father  are  one,  they  again 
took  up  ftones  to  ftone  him  for  Blafphemy,  becaufe 
faid  they,  that  thou,  being  a  man.  makeft  thyfelf 
God.  Jcfus  was  fo  far  from  retracting  what  he 
had  faid,  or  explaining  himlelf  to  I'.e  (stisfsdioFi 
of  the  Jews,  that  his  laft  words,  on  ti.is  ccraiion 
viz.  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  ii,  me, 
were  as  ofFenfive  as  the  former  ;  thertjore  they  ae^ain 
fought  to  take  him,  but  he  ejcaped  out  of  their  hands.  The 
Sonlhip  of  Chrift   is    a    great  myftery;    his  gei.era- 

tioR 


^     lo8     0^ 

tion  is  eternal,  and  incomprehenfible^  therefore 
ineffable  ;  but  this  we  know,  that  Jefus  is  the  Only 
begotten  of  the  Father  ;  that  he  is  the  brightnefs 
of  his  glory,  and  the  exprefs  Image  of  his  perfon ; 
and  that  he  and  his  Father  are  one. 


SERMON  FIFTH. 


John  20th  Chap.  28th  Verfe. 

^nd  7'homas  anfvjered  and  /aid  unto  hhr,,  fny  Lord  and 
my  Cod, 

THE  facrec]  Scriptures  were  written  for  our  inilruc- 
tion,  and  to  make  us  wife  unto  Salvation' 
The  doctrines  of  the  everlalting  Goipel,  are  f  icred, 
fubliire,  and  faving  truths,  every  Avay  worthy  to 
be  received  and  believed  ;  they  are  faithful  fay- 
ings  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  and  under 
the  Influence  of  Divine  Grace,  will  make  us  v/ife, 
religious,  and  happy. 

Among  thefe  dodlrines,  the  great  myftery  of 
godlinefs  appears  with  peculiar  glory  ;  and  from 
its  high   importance,  and  its  connexion  with  other 

do'flrines 


^     no     <^ 

dodlrines  of  revelation,  and  with  true  pradical 
religion,  may  be  juftly  confidered  as  the  main 
pillar  of  our  molt  holy  faith. 

The  do6lrine  of  Chrift's  divinity  is  a  praftical 
do6lrine ;  and  to  fhew  its  connexion  with  practical 
religion,  or  its  praftical  ufe,  is  the  defign  of  the  fol- 
lowing difcourfe. 

FirfV,  this  dodrine  is  connected  with  practical 
-religion,  and  is  of  practical  ufe,  becaufe  it  is  con- 
nected with  the  moft  foleinn  exercifes  of  devotion  ; 
at  all  events,  it  defer ves  our  moft  ferious  confidera- 
tion,  that  if  it  be  true,  we  may  receive  and  em- 
brace it  as  the  truth  of  God,  or  if  it  be  falfe,  we 
may  rejeft  it  ;  but  it  is  of  infinite  importance  to  be 
rii^rhtly  informed  in  this  matter  ;  for  religious  princi- 
ples are  of  the  higheft  importance  ;  and  to  be  mif- 
taken,  as  to  the  object  of  our  faith  and  worHiip  is, 
at  leaft,  awfully  dangerous.  The  dodrine  of 
Chrift's  divinity  is  either  true  or  falfe  ;  if  it  be 
true,  as  it  certainly  is,  then  we  muft  believe  it 
and  exercife  our  faith  and  hope  accordingly,  that 
is,  we  muft  believe  in  Jefus,  we  muft  truft  in  him, 
and  love  and  i'evve  him,  in  the  obedience  of  faith  ; 
ycci,  v/e  muft  honour  him  as  we  honour  the  Father; 
but  if  Chrift  is  not  God,  then  we  moft  not  believe 
in  him,  nor  truft  in  him,  nor  worfhip  him,  nor 
pray  to  him,  nor  honour  him  as  we  honour  the  Fa- 
ther.      This  makes   a   great  diiference   in  pradical 

reljo-ion 

a 


^3         III         «€ 

religion,  in  faith  and  practice.  Principles  are  in- 
timately conne(n:ed  with  practice  ;  yea,  religious 
principle  is  religious  practice,  in  feveral  inftances, 
where  no  outward  acl  of  religion  is  exercifcd.  The 
feat  of  religion  is  in  the  heart,  in  the  thoughts, 
purpofes  and  afFedlions  of  the  mind  ;  and  the  outward 
a-fts  of  religion  fpring  from  the  afFeclions  of  the  foul. 
Thus  for  inftance,  our  religious  principles  are  our  re- 
ligion, when,  under  the  prefilire  of  great  afBidions, 
we  confider  them  as  coming  from  the  hand  of  God, 
as  a  fatherly  chardfement  ;  from  the  hand,  1  fay,  of 
that  God  who  loves  and  pities  his  children,  docs  not 
afilid  them  wilhngly,  and  has  promifed  that  all 
things  Ihall  work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God.  Upon  thefe  principles,  namely,  cur  firm 
perfuafion  and  conviction  that  there  is  an  over  ruling 
Providence,  and  that  God  doth  always  that  which  is 
right,  that  he  is  good  and  gracious,  and  that  he  can 
and  will  caufe  all  things  to  work  together  for  good 
to  them  that  love  hijii,  our  minds  quietly  fubmit  and 
refign  to  the  difpenlations  of  God,  hope  in  his  mer- 
cy, and  confide  in  his  promifes.  Thefe  aCts  of  re- 
ligion, are  all  acts  of  the  foul,  and  movements  of  the 
heart  towards  God. 

The  doctrine  we  have  been  defending,  is  v.o  fpecu- 
lative  do(5trine,  it  contains  principles  intimaiely  con- 
nected with  the  religion  of  the  heart,  which  is  prac- 
tical religion,  ^nd  tb^fe  principles  are  alfo  connected 

with 


^o      112      0^ 

with  the  outward  acts  of  religion,  if  inward  reiigioJl 
and  the  outward  exercifes  of  devotion  and  worfhip 
are,  or  ought  to  be  connefted.  If  this  do(5lrine  be 
falfe,  they  that  believe  it  to  be  true  and  in  confe- 
quence  of  this  perfuafion,  addrefs  one  prayer  to 
Chrift,  or  (ing  his  praifes,  or  exercife  towards  him 
any  acl  of  rehgious  worlhip,  are  idolaters  ;  and  of 
confeqaence  the  Apodles  weri?  idolaters,  and  the 
Saints  and  the  Angels  are  idolators,  or  the  Scrip- 
tares  are  net  the  word  of  God,  nor  given  by  the  in- 
fpiration  of  the  holy  fpirit.  But  if  the  dodrine  be 
true,  what  are  they  who  rejcd  it,  and  will  notgive  glo- 
ry unto  the  Son  of  God,  the  glory  due  unto  his  ho- 
ly name  ?  What  are  they  who  will  not  acknowledge 
the  Son  of  God,  as  their  Lord  and  their  God  ?  they 
are  unbelievers  and  Children  of  difobedience.  Again, 
to  ihew  the  connedion  of  this  dodrine  with  prac- 
tical religion,  we  obferve,  thit  it  is  intimately  con- 
netted  with  an  act  of  practical  religion,  namely,  our 
drawing  nigh  to  God  tlirough  a  Me^iiator,  by  whom 
we  have  accefs,  to  a  reconciled  God  and  Father. 
If  the  dodrine  o^  Chrift's  divinity  is  not  true,  then 
there  is  no  accefs  to  God,  no  way  of  drawing  nigh 
to  God,  no  opportunity  to  exercife  this  reli-  ^ 
crioiis  doty  :  For,  if  Chrili;  is  not  the  Redeemer, 
the  IMeliiator,  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life 
then  there  is  no  Redecincr,  no  Mediator,  no 
accefs  to  the  Father,  for  no  rcan,  iaidr  the 
the  Scripture,  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  him. 
Nov,-,  if  there  is  !>o  accefs  by  him,  then   there  is  no 


accefs   at  all.        But  if  Chrift  is  not   that  Redeemer, 
that  Mediator  which  the  Scripture  declares  him  to  be, 
then  he  is  not  the  M-ediator  by  whom  we  ihould  have 
accefs  to  the  Father  ;  that  is,  if  he     does   not  anfwer 
the  exact  account  and  defcription  given  of  him,  as  the 
Mediator  by  whom  we  are  to    havd    accefs   to  God, 
ihen  the  accefs  to  God,  is   not  by  him,  but  perhaps 
by  another  ;  however,  we  know   that    there   is  but 
one  Chrift,  one   Mediator,     one   Redeemer,   and   if 
Jefus  is  not  this   Chrift,  this  Redeemer,  then  all  our 
hope  in  him  is  loft  and  periihed.     Chrift  Jefus  is  not 
the   Redeemer  fpoken  of  in   Scripture,  if  he  is   not 
God  manifeft  in  the  fleih.     He  is  not  the  Redeemer, 
if  he  is  not  the  maker,  the  hujhand  of  his  Churchy   the 
Holy  One   of  I/rael,     the  Lord   of  Hojls,  the    God    of 
the  whole  earth*      He  is  both    God    and    man,   who 
Mediates  between   God   and    man ;      the    Mediator 
muft  be  able  to  lay  his  hand  tipon   both  parties,  and 
reconcile    them  to  each   other.     I  mention   this    to 
fhew    that  if    we  give    np    the   dodrine  of    Clirift's 
divinity,    we  give  up  our  hope  of  falvation  by  Jefus 
Chrift.  The  intercefTion  of  men  and    Angels    is 

utterly  infufficient  to  fave  us  ;  let  none  lean  upon  that 
broken  reed  :  the  true  intercelTor  is  he  who  can  fave 
to  the  uttermoft,  whofe  arm  can  bring  falvation, 
whofe  interceflioji  can  never  fail,  and  who  is  the  Lord 
our  right eoufnefs. 

Secondly, 


^     1 14    <^ 

SeconJlyj  let  us  pradically  improve  this  dodlrinc, 
for  the   flrengthening   of  our  faith    in    the    Son   of 
God  ;  let  us  (ay  with  the  Saints  of  God,    we  know 
whom  we  have  beheved  ;  We  do  not  truft  in  an  arm 
of  flefh  for   falvation^  but  our  truft,  hope,    and  con- 
fidence is   in  the  living  God.     The  mighty  God    of 
Jacob  is  our  refuge,  our  ftrong  rock   and    fortrefs. 
Let  each   of  us  fay,    with   David,    The   Lord   is  my 
Shepherd  I Jhall  not  want.       He  maheih  me  to  Me  down 
in  the  green  pajlures  ;    he  leadeth  me    he  fide  the  ftill 
waters.     He  reJJoreth  my  foul ;    He  leadeth  me  in  the 
paths  of  right eoufnefs  for  his  nanjesfake*       Tea,  though 
I     walk    through     the    valley     of    the     Jhadow     of 
death,  I  will  fear  no  evil,  for  thou   art  with  me,  thy 
rod  and  thy  faff  they    comfort   me»     Is   our  Faith 
weak?  Qr  are  u^e  of  little    faith?  We  may,  if  we 
believe   the   doctrine  of  Chrift's  divinity,   apply   to 
Jefus  for  increafe  of  every  grace ;  we  may  fay  unto 
him   as  the  difciples   did.    Lord  increafe    our  faith  / 
we   may  fay  untD  him,  Lord  we  believe  ;   help  theti 
our  unbelief     If  we  deny  the   divinity  of  the  Son  of 
God,  we  cannot  confiftently  approach  him  in  prayer  : 
we  cannot  fay  with  the  x^poftle,  this  is  the  confidence 
that  we  have  in  him,  that  if  we  afk  any  thing  accord, 
ing  to  his  will  he  henreth   us.        Jnd  if  we  know  that 
he  hear  us,   whaifoever  we  afk,  we  know  that  we  have 
the  petitions  that  we  defiredofhim.*  If  we  believe  as  the 
Apoftles  did,  in  Jefus,  we  may  have  the  fame  kind 

of 
1  Ep.  John  V.  i4«  ij' 


^     115    "^ 

of  confidence  that  they  had  ;  \vc  may  with  thetn 
pray  to  Jefus,  and'truft  in  him  as  the  hearer  of 
prayer.  If  we  arebefet  witli  temptations,  if  thorns 
in  the  flefh,  meflengers  of  Satan,  are  fent  to  buffet 
us,  w^e  may  befeech  the  Lord,  that  they  may  de- 
part from  us  ;  and  he  chat  heard  the  ApoflJe  will 
hear  us,  and  either  deliver  us  from  the  teniptations, 
by  removing  them,  or  he  will  afford  os  fufficienc 
ftrength  to  refift  them.  His  grace  is  fuiEcient  for  us  , 
his  ilrength  is  made  perfect  in  weaknefs.  Are  we 
weak  in  ourfelves?  in  Chrift  we  have  ftrength  and  are 
made  ftrong,  yea,  able  to  do  all  things  through  his 
ftrength  ;  /  can  do  all  things,  fays  the  Jpoflle,  throz^gb 
Chrifl  which  ftrengtheneth  me*  In  the  belief  of  this  doc- 
rine  of  our  holy  faith,  we  have  an  holy  confidence 
towards  God  the  Father,  as  a  reconciled  Father, 
and  a  comfortable  afTurance  that  he  will  hear  andgra- 
cioufly.anfwer  the  prayer  of  faith,  addrelTed  to  him  in 
the  name  of  Jefus ;  he  prefents  the  prayer  of  his 
people,  their  fpiritual  offerings  and  facrifices  unto 
the  Father,  perfumed  with  facred  incenfe,  being 
our  great  high  Prieft  who  ever  liveth  to  make  in- 
terceflioB  for  us  ;  him  the  Father  heareth  aKvays, 
and  in  him  he  is  always  well  pleafed.  But  if  we 
deny  the  divinity  of  our  Mediator,  advocate,  in- 
terceffor,  and  high  Prieft,  we  can  have  no  reafon  to 
hope  that  the  Father  will  hear  our  prayer,  in  facl,  we 
do  not  pray  through  the  Mediator,  and  our  prayers 
are   not   the  prayers  of  faith,  if  we  do  not   depend 

upon 


^^     ii6    0^ 

upon  the  intercefTion  of  our  great  high  Prieft  ;  and 
how  can  we  depend  upon  his  intercefTion,  if  he  he 
but  a  man,  or  an  Angel  ? 

Thirdly,    let    us   improve    this^  dodlrine    of  GUI' 
holy  faith,  to  the  confirmation  of  our  hope  of  eternal 
life,  that  fo  we  may  have  good  hope  through  grace, 
as  the  anchor  of  our  fouls  both  fure  andfledfafl,     and 
ivhich   enter eth   into   that  within  the  vail,  iv  hither  the 
forerunner  is  for  us  entered,  even    Jefus,    made     an 
high  PrieJ}  forever,  after  the   order   of  Melchifedec^* 
Eternal  life  is    the  higheft  and  mofl  glorious  objecft 
of  hope,  and  this  eternal  life   is  in  the   Son  of  God  ; 
it  is  the  gift  of  God    through  Jefus  Chrifl:-        This, 
fays   the  Apoflle,    //    the  record  that  God  hath  given 
to  us  eternal  life,   and  this  life  is    in  his  Jon,    he   that 
hath  the  Son  hath  life,  and  he  that  hath  not  the  Son  of 
God  hath  not  life*       Thefe  things  have   I  vtritten    unto 
you    that   believe  on    the   name  of  the   Son    of    Cod} 
that  ye  may  hnw  that  ye  have  eternal  life,  and  that  ye 
may  believe  on  the  name  of  the    Son   of  God*      And 
again,  we  know  that  the  Son  of  God  is  come,  and  hath 
given   us   an   underftanding    that    "^'e  may    know  him 
that    is    true  :    and   we    are   in'  him    that    is   true, 
even    in   his  Son  Jefus  Chrift,  this  is   the   true   G&d 
and  eternal  life»-\;    If  we    cannot   believe    that  the 
Son  of  God  is  the  true  God,  if   the  Apoflle   erredy 
in  faying  that  he  is  the  true  God,  may  he  not  have 

erred 

^i_  Heb.  vi.  ip-*  t  I  John  v.  chap^ 


^o        JIJ        c^ 

erred  in  faying  that  he  is  eternal  life  ?  how  can  \v<? 
depend  upon  the  record  above  mentiejned,  Cod 
hath  given  us  eternal  I'lfe^  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son? 
Ifthe  Son  is  not  the  true  God,  what  dependance 
can  we  have  upon  the  Scriptures  ?  And  what  hope 
can  we  have  in  Chrift,  as  the  giver  of  eternal  life, 
and  the  bread  of  life,  if  he  is  not  the  true  God  ? 

TJie  doctrine  of  Chrift^s  divinity  eftablif]  es  the 
hope  of  believers,  even  their  hope  of  eternal  life, 
upon  a  folid  foundation  ;  they  behold  in  Jelus  the 
Son  of  God,  an  all-fufficient,  an  Almighty  Savi. 
our  ;  they  can  fay  with  the  Pfalmift,  in  God  is  our 
falvation  and  our  glory,  the  rock  of  our  ftrength 
and  our  refuge  is  in  God*  And  as  this  doctrine 
eftablilhes  the  hope  of  believers,  fo  it  is  the  fource 
and  fpring  of  their  fpiritual  confolation  ;  they  that 
believe  in  the  Son  of  God,  as  their  God  and  Savi- 
otir,  as  the  Lord  their  righteo^fnefs,  and  as  their 
companionate  Redeemer,  may  well  be  filled  with 
all  joy  in  believing  in  the  Son  of  God.  The 
great  myflery  of  godhnefs  pours  the  balm  of  confo- 
lation into  the  \younded  heart,  and  troubled  foul,  Cod 
was  manifeft  in  the  flelh,  and  we  know  that  he  was 
manifejled  to  take  away  our  Jins^  and  in  him  is  no  frii^ 
was  God  manifefted  in  the  flefh  ?  was  he  manifefled 
to   take  away   our   fms  ?     and    can   the   facrcd  and 

blefTed 

*  I.  John  iii.  chap. 


^     il8     0^ 

bleffed  work  fall  in  his  hands  ?  Is  the  great  Im* 
nianuel  the  Redeeming  Saviour  ?  did  he  die  for 
us  ^  did  he  redeem  his  Church  with  his  own  blood? 
Was  he  who  knew  no  fin  made  fin  for  us,  that  we 
might  be  made  the  righteoufnefs  of  God  in  him  ? 
who  then  fliall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's 
eleel  ?  who  fliall  condemn  us,  if  God  juftifies  us  ? 
who  Jhall  impute  fin  unto  us,  if  Chrift  has  redeem- 
-ed  us  from  the  curfe  of  the  law,  by  being  made  a 
curfe  for  us,  andby  having  borne  our  fins  in  his  Body 
on  the  tree  ?  Who  /hall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of 
Cod*s  ele6i  P  it  is  God  that  jujiifieth  :  who  is  he  that 
condemneth  P  It  is  Chrift  that  died,  yea,  rather y  that 
is  rifen  again,  ivho  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  Cod, 
who  alfo  maheth  inter cejjion  for  us. 

Come  then  finner,   come  in  faith,  and   adore   the 
mercy  of     thy  glorious     Saviour;     come    and    lay 
thy    fins   and   guilt  at  the  foot  of  hiscrofs  ;  come  to 
Jefus  for  falvation, ,  for  pardon,    for    rrghteoufnefs, 
and  for  fanftification  ;   He  is  the  very   Saviour     you 
want  ;    In  him   all  fulnefs   dwells;     he  is    able    to 
fave  even   to   the   uttermoft,   all    that  come  to  the 
Father  by  him.     Jefus  will  not  refufe  you  his  falva- 
tion ;  he  will  not  caft  out  thofe  that  come  to  him  : 
he   will  not  break  the  bruifed  reed,  nor  quench  the 
fmoaking  flax  ;    he   will  bind  up  the  broken  hearted 
and  comfort  all  the  mourners  in  Zion  :    If  any  man 

thirfi    fays  Chrift;  /ef   him   come  mto  me  and  drink ; 

he 


^o       I  ^9      c^ 

he  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  fatd^ 
tut  of  his  belly  Jhall  floiu  rivers  of  living  luater  ; 
and  elfe where,  whofoever  drinketh  of  the  luater  that 
I  Jhall  give  him,  Jhall  never  thirji  ;  but  the  luater 
that  I  Jhall  give  him,  J/jall  be  in  hbn  a  luell  of  water 
fprlnging  up  into  everlafting  llfe."^  Jefus  can  pour 
down  upon  his  people  the  facred  hifluehce  of  his 
holy  fpirit,  and  fill  our  fouls  with  divine  coniolaticn^ 
light,  and  love. 

Fourthly,  let  us  improve  the  dot^lrine  pra6lically, 
to  the  increafnig  of  our  love  to  God  the  Father,  and 
to    the  Son  Chrift  Jefus.      The  love  of  the  Father 
appears  mod   confpicuoufly  in  his  isnfpeakable   gift ; 
in  this  was  manlfefied  the  love  of  God  towards  us,  be^ 
caufe  that  God  Jent  Ids  only  begotten  Son  into  the  world 
that  we  might  live  through  him*        Herein  is  love,    mt 
that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  fent  his  Son 
to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  fins.  \       The  Father  hath 
given   us  eternal  life,    and  this  life   is   in  his  Son  ; 
He  gave  us  his  well   beloved   Son,   the  brightnefs  of 
his  glory,    and  the  exprefs   image  of  his  perfon  ;    he 
gave  us  his  Son  in  whoiii  he  delighted  from  all  eterni- 
ty, yea,   for   our  fakes,    he  fpared  not  his  own  Son^ 
but  delivered   hirn    up    to    the    death    for    us    ail. 
Though  God  confulted  bis  own  honour   and   glory 
in  this  ftupendous   difpenfation,  yet   divine   love  and 
compafTion    fhine    forth    with    tranfcendent    luftre, 

and 
*  John  vii,  chap,     f   ifl  Ep.  John  iv,  cha;t. 


^       120      0^ 

and  brightiiefs  ;  isi  this  difpenfation,  we  fee  that 
God  is  love.  Had  God  fent  the  higheft  Angel  in 
Heaven,  to  fave  us,  (if  falvation  could  be  the  work 
of  an  Angel)  this  would  have  been  great  love  ; 
but,  herein  is  luvCj  and  in  this  was  manifefted  the 
Jove  of  God,  becaufe  that  God  fent  his  only  be- 
gotten Son,  that  we  might  live  through  him.  When 
Abraham  by  faith  offered  up  his  only  Son  Ifaac,  the 
.Aneel   of  the  Lord  faid  unto  him,  now  1  know  that 

CD  ' 

thou  feared  God,  feeing  thou  haft  not  withheld  thy 
Son,  thine  only  Son,  from  ?ne  ;  the  ftrefs  is  laid  upoa 
thofe  words,  thy  Son,  thine  only  Son  ;  as  this  was 
the  higheft  act  of  Abraham's  faith,  fear,  love,  and 
obedience,  (o,  God's  giving  his  own  Son,  his  only 
beo-otten  Son,  his  well-beloved  Son,  is  the  greateft 
act  and  moft  glorious  manifeftation  of  divine  love, 
love  unfpeakable  and  incomprehenfible.  So  great 
is  the  love  of  God  in  giving  us  his  own  Son,  that 
upon  this  manifeftation  of  love,  the  Apoftle 
builds  his  hops  of  receiving  from  the  God  of  love, 
every     needful    grace     and    bleffing.  He     that 

Spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  to  the 
death  j^^r  us  all,  how  /hall  he  not  with  him  alfo  freely 
^ive  us  all  things  ?  Every  bleffing,  every  precious 
^ift  of  God  to  his  Church,  here,  and  hereafter 
grace,  glory,  and  eternal  life,  are  all  fummed  up 
JQ  this  one  unfpeakable  gift  of  God,  his  own  Son 
Chrill  Jefus.  If  our  love  to  God  is  to  be  excited  by  a 
believing  view  of  his  love  to  u^/tfvje  love  him  becaufe 

he 


^       121       c^- 

he  firft  loved  its,  then  that  doclrine  which  gives  us 
the  brighteft  and  mod  glorious  view  of  Jivine  love 
to  Tinners,  muft,  as  a  practical  doclrine,  have  the 
ftrongeft  tendency  to  excite  and  encreafe  our  love  to 
God  ;  and  therefore  muft  be  moft  pradically  ufeful; 
tut  no  dodrine  can  fhew  the  love  of  God  to  llnners 
in  fuch  a  glorious  point  of  view,  as  the  do<n:rine  of 
the  incarnation,  life,  fufFerings,  and  death  of  the 
Son  of  God. 

And  for  the  encreafing  of  our  love  to  Jcfus,  our 

companionate  Saviour,    let  us  confider,  that  he  who 

loved  us  and  waflied  us  from  our  fins,  in  his  blood 

is   the  Son  of  God,   the  brightnefs   of  the  Father's 

glory,  and  the  exprefs   image  of  his  perfon.       The 

true  way  to  encreafe  our  love  to  Chrift  Jefus,  is  to 

dwell  with  facred  delight  and  rapture  upon  his  love 

to  us  ;    and  the  true  way  to  eflimate  his  love    if 

love  unfpeakable  can  be  eftimated,    is  to  view  the 

dignity, and  glory  of  him  who   loved  us,  and  mani- 

fcfted   his  love   in  his   divine  condefcenfion,    and  in 

his  lowly  humiliation.       The   love  of  Chrifl  paJFeth 

knowledge  .•    it  is  unfpeakable  and  incomprehenfible 

becaufe   it  is  the  love  of  God  manifeft  in  the  flefh- 

Hereby^   fays  the  beloved   difciple,    perceive  we  the 

love  of  Cod,, becaufe  he  laid  down  his  life  for  us -*  that 

is,  hereby  we  perceive  the  love   of  God  the  Son, 

becaufe   he  condefcended   to    be   incarnate,  to  take 

upon 
*  John  ill.  1 6. 

R 


^      122      0^ 

upon  him  our  nature,     to  be  made    of    the  iced   of 
David  according  to  the  flelh,   to  be  born   of  a  Vir- 
gin;   and    finally   to    give    his     life    a    ranfom     for 
nisny,    to  redeem    them  from  the  curfe  of  the  law, 
the  wrath  of  an  offended  God,  and  eternal  mifery. 
In  this  view,  the  love  of  Jefus  appears  indeed  to  be' 
that  which  paiTeth  knowledge,  and    to  be    truly   in- 
effable and  divine.     The  grace    of  our  Lord  Jefus  is 
the  grace  of  him  that  was  rich,   and  for  our  fake  be- 
came poor  ;    and  this   is    the    argument  which    the 
Apoftle  ufes  when  he  exhorts  the  difciples  to  abound 
in   the    grace   of  love  ;    ye  know  the  grace    of   our 
Lord  Jefus  Chrift^   that  though  he  vjas  rich,  yet  for 
your  fakes  he  became  poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty 
might  be  rich."^ 

Behold  then  the  Sonof  God,rich  in  all  theglories  of 
godhead  and  divinity,  poffefled  of  the  divine  nature 
and  divine  attributes  ;  behold  him  in  the  bofom  of 
the  Father  ;  behold  his  divine  condefcenfion,  in  his 
becoming  furety  for  fmners  ;  behold  him  in  this 
charader,  and  hear  him  utter  thefe  gracious  words, 
io  ;  /  come,  in  the  volume  of  the  book  it  is  written  of 
me,  I  delight  to  do  thy  will  0  Cod  ;  By  which  will, 
fays  the  Apoftle,  we  are  fan6iified  by  the  offering  of 
the  body  of  Jefus  once  .for  alU  Behold  the  Son  of 
God,  in  his  birth,  life,  fufferings  and  death  ;  remem- 
ber  who  he    is   that  endured  fo  much  for  fmners  ; 

remember 
*  2.  CorlntVi.  viii,  9. 


^.       123       0^ 

remember  that  he  is  the  great  Immanuel,  God  with 
us,  and  admire  with  facred  rapture  and  delight,  the 
wonders  of  redeeming  love  !  Unto  him  that  loved 
us  and  walhed  us  from  our  fiiis  in  his  own  blood, 
and  hath  made  us  Kings  and  Priefts  unto  God  and  his 
Father,  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion  tor  ever. 
Amen. 

Laflly,  let  us  practically  improve  this  doctrine, 
the  great  myftery  of  Godlinefs,  unto  holinefs  of  life  : 
that  fo  we  may  adorn  the  do^rine  of  God  our  Saviour 
in  all  things  ;  and  if  we  would  adorn  the  dodrine 
of  our  Saviour,  we  muft  believe  that  he  is  oiir  God. 
The  practice  of  true  holinefs,  of  pure  and  undetiled 
religion,  does  not  begin  in  unbelief;  obedience  does 
not  commence  v/ith  difobedience  to  the  exprefs 
command  of  God  the  Father,  who  hath  commanded 
us  to  believe  in  his  Son  :  but  how  do  they  believe 
in  the  Son  who  deny  the  Lord  that  bought  them, 
and  bring  upon  themfehes  f-jjift  deftrudion,^  Can 
Antichrift  be  religiousandholy  ?  can  a  liar  love  truth? 
and  lu/^o  is  a  liar  P  faith  the  Apollie,  hut  he  that  dcnieih 
that  Jefus  is  the  Chrift  ?  He  is  Antichrift  that  denleth 
the  Father  and  the  Son  ;  -jjhofoever  denieth  the  Son, 
the  fame  hath  not  the  Father^  He  is  Antichrift  and 
a  Har  who  denieth  that  Jefus  is  the  Chrift,  that  is,  the 
Mcffiah;  but  he  that  denies  the  divinity  of  Jefus, 
ilenies  that  he  is  Chrift,  the  Anointed,   the  Melliah  : 

for 
*  z  Peter,  ii.  1. 


^       124       0^ 

for  if  he  is  not  God,  neither  is  he  Mefliah,  the  Mefliah 
is  Immanuely  God  with  us.  He  that  hath  the  Son, 
hath  life^  and  he  that  hath  not  the  Son  hath  not  Hfe  ; 
now  he  that  denieth  the  Son;  hath  not  the  Son,  nor 
the  Father,  and  has  no  life,  but  is  dead  in  trefpaiTes 
and  fins. 

Tri*  believers  experience  a  facred  conftraining  in- 
fluence in  the  love  of  Jefus  Chrift  ;  the  love  of  Chr'ifl^ 
fays    the   Apoftie,    conjiraineth    us    becaufe     we    thus 
judge  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead  ;    and 
that    he    died  for    all,    that    they    which  live   Jhould 
■7iQt  henceforth  live  unto  thcmfelves,  hut  unto  him  which 
died  for  thsm,  and  rofe  again*        Believing   in    this 
Saviour  as  their  God,    they    truly  perceive  his  love, 
and  this  is  the  language  of  their  fouls,    hereby  per- 
ceive we  the  love  of  Cod,  in  that  he  laid  down  his  life 
for  us.     .  In  this  faith   they,  behold  the  glory   and 
riches  of  Redeeming  love,    and  feel  its  peculiar  con- 
ftraining energy.      In  the  great  myftery  of  godlinefs, 
the  believer  beholds  net  only  the  love  of  God  to  fin- 
ners,  in  giving  his  Son  to  be  •^hcir  Saviour,    but  alfo 
the  holinefs  of  God,  and  his  abhorrence  and   detefta- 
tion  of  fin.        In  the   death   of  the    Son   of   God,    as 
the  furety  and  reprefentative  of  iinners,  the  purityand 
holinefs,   the   righteoufnefs  and  juftice  of  God,    are 
nioft  glorioufiy   illuftrated  and  difplayed,    as  well  as 
his   grace    and    mercy.       How    infinitely    merciful, 
holy,   juft,  and  righteous  is  oi,ir  God,   who  in  his  in- 
finite 


^       125       0^ 

finite  love  gave  us  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for 
our  fins !      He   would  not  pardon  finners,    without 
vindicating  the  honour  of  his  holy  and  righteous  law; 
he  would  not  be  reconciled  to  finners,    but  by    the 
death  of  his  own  Son,  who  hath  magnified  the  divine 
law  and   made   it  honourable.       How    inflexible  is 
divine  juftice  !     behold  this  attribute  of  God  in  the 
fufFerings   and  death  of  Chrift  !  behold,    hovv'  God 
vifited  his  own    Son,  as  the  finners  furety  I    in  his 
Pity  and   in  his  love  he  gave  him  to  us,    to    be  our 
Saviour  ;  but  the  fword  of  his  juftice  is  drawn  againft 
him ;    awake  0  Jwordy    againft    my    Shepherd,    and 
againft  the  man   that  is    my  fellow,  faith  the  Lord 
ofHofts ;  finite  the  Shepherd.     God  fpared  not  his  own 
Son,    it  pleafed  the  Lord  to  bruife  him  ;    he  hath  put 
him  to  grief*     He  was  wounded  for  our  tranfgrejfonSy 
he  was  bruifed  for  our  iniquities  ;    the  chaftifement  of 
our  peace  was  upon  him,  with  his  ft  ripe  s  we  are  healed* 
The  L^rd  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity   of  us  all*      He 
was  oppreffed  and  he  was  affliSied,  yet  he  opened  not  his 
mouth;  he  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  flaughter.     Be- 
hold   the   Son  of  God,    in   his   life,    his  fufferings, 
particularly  his  laft  fufFerings  in  the  garden  and  on 
the    Crofs  !     behold  his  agony    and    bloody  fweat ! 
hear  him  fay.  Father  fave   me  from   this  hour,  but 
for  thiscaufe  came  I  to  this  hour.     O,  my  Father,  if 
this  cup  may  not  pafs  away   from  me  except  J  drink 
it,  thy  will  be  done.      Hear  him  crying  out  on  the 

Crofs, 


^       126      0^ 

Crofs,  my  God,  my  God,  why  hall  thou  forfakeii 
me  ?  Behold  thefe  things,  and  be  aftoni/hed  at  the 
terrors  of  Divine  juilice  ;  and  admire  the  riches  ot 
redeeming  love  !  If  God  thus  vifited  his  own  dear 
Son,  coniidered  as  furety  for  iinners,  ihall  not  Ged 
vilit  with  evdrlalting  dedraclion,  all  the  impenitent 
workers  of  iniquity  ?  if  thefe  things  are  done  in  a  green 
tree  v/liat  Ihali  be  done  in  a  dry  -  Ihall  not  the  divine 
-wrath  flame  out  again(t  all  who  are  not  in  Chrift; 
agairift  all  who  are  not  faved  from  wrath  by  him: 
againft  all  who  are  not  wafaedin  the  atoning  blood  ; 
a^ainft  all  who  are  not  cloathsd  with  his  righteouf- 
nefs?  where  fh:ill  th^y  fly  for  refuge,  who  would 
not  have  Chrilt  to  be  their  Saviour,  nor  their  Lord 
to  reign  over  them  ?  what  will  become  of  them  ? 
they  Ihall  go  away  into  everlafting  punifhment,  and 
be  deflroyed  with  an  everlailing  deftruftion.  la 
the  doctrine  of  Chrift's  divinity,  as  connected  with 
the  dodrine  of  the  atonement,  we  behold  as  in  a 
mirror,  the  love  and  mercy,  the  truth  and  faithful- 
nefs,  the  holinefs  and  juftice  of  God  :  we  behold 
the  glory  of  his  grace,  and  the  awfulnefs  of  his 
wrath  ;  we  behold  the  dignity  and  honour  of  his  laws, 
and  have  every  motive  laid  before  us  to  fly  to  Chrift 
for  falvation,  to  believe  in,  and  to  reft  upon  him  for 
eternal  life.  The  Son  of  God  gave  himfelf  for  us, 
that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  puri- 
fy us  unto  himfelf  a  peculiar  people  zealous  of  good 
works  :  let  us  then    live  unto  him  who  died  for  us, 

and 


^       127       0^ 

and  rofe  again  ;  who  died  for  our  ofFences,  and  rofe 
again  for  our  juftification.  Let  us  teftify  our  love 
to  him,  by  keeping  his  conimandments  :  they  are 
the  commandments  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  who  is 
entitled  to  our  fubmiffion  and  obedience,  becauie  he 
is  our  God,  our  Redeemer  and  our  King.  Let  us  wor- 
fhip  and  adore  him  ;  Jet  us  praife  and  blefs  his 
holy  name  ;  let  his  word  dwell  richly  in  us  ;  let  his 
law  he  our  delight;  and  let  all  that  love  his  falva- 
tion  fay  continually  the  Lord  be  magnified. 


F         I         N        I         S^ 


